Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-31

HE lNCUBATING PYTHON.-Durinu the last
few days the male python at the Geological
Gardens, London, has occasionally associated
with the female in covering the eggs, but pre-
vi0uSly she had pertinaCiously driven him
away She is now also about TO change her
skin; but this, it is thought, will in no way
interfere with the successful Matching, its effect
being probably, at most, to cause her to feed
which she has not done tor q weeks In
shedding their skins these snakes generally
nip, as it were, the portion over the bead be.
tween the forks Of the branches of tree and
push il back until they have got wrinkle or
fold, when they push their bodies out OF the
mouth, the skin folding over by The muscular
action OF the creature,-to use honiey
simiies like turning stocking inside out
The eggs, which are nearly round, and about
three inches in diameter, were laid on the
14th OF January last, and are supposed to be
about one hundred in number il would not
only Interfere with the creatures sitting
but would probably also be dangerous even
for the keepers TO disturb hel To count
them but, taking the space of ten which are
visible, and roughly judging the comparative
size OF the mass, for they are all cemened
together in a pyramid or spiral coil by
gelatinous substance, it would appear to be
some 10 times the bulk OF the TO- The eggs
were laid during the night of the 18th of Jan
uary, and were first seen on the morning of
tie 18th, when the whole number had been
deposited, and the python was cooled recum-
bent over them, guarding them, with her head
resting on the top OF the pile under the blan-
ket, the creature rushing at any intruder, and
Kissing more fiercely than usual. The eggs
were seemingly laid at first in circle by tie
creature craving round as they were deposit.
ed, anu then each superior layer forming sort
OF spiral cone over the base layer. The nat
rat NJ =,
pythons live in the moist swamps and un.
wholesome forests of western Africa where
no one is likely to study their habits, and
where II any one ventured alter them at ALL
1t would be only Tor their destruction But
the period has been judged of in this way
On the morning OF the 29h OF January, one
OF the eggs had been accidentally detached by
the python and rolled out. This was exam
ined by MIR. Bartlett, the experienced res dent
manager OF the gardens. Cutting off portion
OF the thick, leathery, parchment like skin
which represents the shell--ior the substance
OF the shell-skin is not hardened by calcate.
Gus matter, as in birds eggs-he found the
young snake alive, comparatively well devel-
oped, and about SIX inches in length, attached
by chord to the yek, and crawling free ly
about in the fluid albume-, OF white Of the
egg Ia common hens eggs, after the third
or fourth day, vitality would be only begin.
ming to be developed by the formation of blood
vessels and few other changes about the
seventh day the eyes and her organs would
be apparent, full development being attained
on the twenty first day. The young python.
~then, at this fifteenth day being in backward
state, Mr.. Bartlett mot being at this time
aware OF the period stated by the French OH.
serversj published little sketch of the cir
cumstauce, n which he argued it might be
seven or eight weeks before perfect devotion.
ment wOul have been attained. He copsiI-
cred, moreover, that the young creature, being
then no thicker round than the pipe of goose
quill, would probably increase to the dimen-
slons of y little finger before it filled the cavity
of the she'll, and the probable rate OF increase
of size seemed to confirm the presumed peri
cd. When laid, the eggs were perfectly white
in color, but their skins lave since become
darker in hue-LondOa Revitw.