New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-08-11
Snakes and their Prey.

d yas ont shooting (writes gentleman residing In
ysAe gDlgny of Port Natal, to a friend in Engand)
sad deserving an orebec, "a small red buck) en-
afssusea 70 approach 70 secure shot and making
sid see the whereabouts of my intended game.
Btax3 was my surprise, when found that the ami
zsl had rot moved since first saw it, and was then
raadng in peculiar attitude, perfectly motionless,
aR6 not twenty yards from me. Those little crea.
asres have extraordinary sight, and are very tmid
wandering it difficult to approach within hundred
ys1ass nnless you surprise them while sleeping Ia
Ing grass. ! stood watching the buck for some
sae 1t first surprising 1t to be sick. then thought
gw0naa see how near | could get, and there being
M nnLheap close beside the buck, approached, and
baking over the mound | saw the head Of large
EEa constructor lying just out Of hole under the
aMB: and the buck stood with its head turned on
Tee ss3e, in an awkward POSITION gazing intently on
RS 6zssy enemy, and not in the least aware of my
vhau.y: l retreated cautiously fearing to break
ss spell, ard wishing to watch the last act in this
sIngaAr lnesmeric drama.
12s back must have remained at least five min.
s IN this transixed position, the hair of its back
ssSst, as eyes dilated, and it attitude stiff and
natural; Suddenly saw it on the ground, and the
1l7sk black coils Of the boa enfoding its body and
Eggs. fired instantly, and the reptile slowly IN
alaIHd ITSELF compelled to succomb to power more
anzI5e than its own My gun has one barrel rified,
re other smooth bore for shot, 1 measured the
anAke and found its length to be eighteen feet nine
AeAes. The eye of the boa is very peculiar while
aDeaneriziDg its prey it appears to emit flame. 1t
18y De compared to an amethyst, or ruby, or both,
Hasn aD emerald stuck together, and rapidly re-
sasyng in the sum- Its mouth was closed, nearly
80, an3 lis long tongue dartng from side to side,
% greedy anticipation of the dish Of yenison which
gTnasa its 1eyouring jaws.
dsn another occasion watched smaller boa, about
aEe test long, whilst engaged in the act of swallow
Eng aow 1t first seized the head, and appeared to
swallow with great difficulty, making convulsive
ags, observable from the rings of its tail upwards.
MARY Boe hard struggles the head and neck of the
2gs disappeared, but the wings being extended pre-
nSsst1 rather serious impeachment to further pro.
5sgfjogs and / was curious to see how the snake
H7zA get over his diffculties-for even juggler
wuasa be nonplussed if required to swallow knives
Ap5 5aks crossways-and soon found that he was
Ijtf egnal to the emergency. After series of pain
I'M aEwts, tantazing, doubtless to hungry boa the
rs5e brought his tail to the rescue extremes meet
a05g u the fowl between his jaws. He now, how.
ssR,, seemed to have got himself in greater fix than
rsas. The distension caused his neck to appear
aBy ms thick my thumb, and from the form and set
aDg 81 bis teeth he conld not disgorge his Brobdng
msg nouthful, and began to think that bis snake
sflp hsa rather more than he knew what to do with
KDa bit Of it. After resting minute or two he
roiled round his distended jaws, and commenced al
Ingenious process of compression, beginning at his
ikss6 md working downwards along the neck ani
Hssss-ssafiing himself as you would sausage--til
he sAd completed this extraordinary maneuver O
siRgsnhion The whole operation lasted about twenty
gratifying mode OF appeasing the animal appetite.
EDIsEreG this boa, and kept him some time in cask
ave ultimately gave him to friend who was pro
ossaiog to Cape Town. The skin of the boa and thai
Sbp oil the lnguano "a large water lizard) maxi
kssutisnl, soft, and very durable slippers.