Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-03
SNAKES AT DINNER.
How Reptiles are Fed al the I.OndOl
Geological Gardens.


George Guyon, in the Science Gossip, gives
a curious account Of the feeding Of the
snakes In the London Geological Gardens
As probably not many Of my readers
have witnessed the opeErtion Of feeding the
reptiles at the Geological Gardens, perhaps
a short account Of what was seen during 4
visit a few weeks ago may be interesting.
Il must be promised that the sight is not
altogether an agreeable one but, notwith-
standing, it seemed 10 exercise a sort OF
fascination over the spectators, and some
ladies, who kept expressing their horror
and disgust, were nevertheless rs eager as
any 10 see all that was going on. One
might 90 there many times without seeing
the operation, as these creatures are only
fed once week or, as the keeper said, all
Fridays in the year except Good Friday
Before beginning, the keeper locked the
door, apparently 10 prevent persons from
crowding in, as not many can see well at
the same time He then brought supplies
10 the different kinds Of prey, and cast them
into the serpents' dens, the doomed animals
being young rabbits, young mice, white
mice. ducks, fowls, slarrows and frogs,
which were distributed 10 suit the size OF
the various snakes, except the frogs, which
we're provided for the aquatic species.
"The large boa-osnstrictors, into whose
case three rabbits, grown specimens, were
introduced, seemed the principal attraction,
bat their mightinesses were in no hurry to
dine. As is generally the case after long
watching, | was looking at something else,
when there was an exclamation, Hes got
itr and found one Of those large snakes
was coiled around a rabbit The latter,
thought struggled little, but il might be
fancy ell remained quiet for few min
utes, and then the huge reptile uncoiled
himself and the rabbit lay perfectly dead.
The boa showed no inclination 20 eat his
victim, but giided about in q languid man
ner after the other rabbits who showed
little sense Of their danger. Il was curl
Gus TO zee them, in happy ignorance, sniff
fling at their dead companion, or putting
up their noses 10 hand held near the glass
Two ducks were introduced into the den
Of another large boa or, rather, believe
il was a python, which il the boa constric-
tor Of the old world, and similar in size and
habits.
'He moved slowly after the birds, which
showed more fear than the rabbits, but
made no attempt 20 seize them. While
leaning r.,
OF three loud thumps sounded on the glass
front near my hand, and some bystanders
expressed fear less the glass should be
broken The attack was 80 sudden that il
was only when the keeper requested me to
keep further back that was conscious that
the big snake preferred me to the ducks.
The blows sounded like those Of a mans
Sat, and would probably throw a person
down II they took effect By the quick
repetition Of the strokes IL seemed the rep
Tile was slow to learn that the ,sisie glass
was too strong for is efforts. | regretted
afterwards not having estimated the size
OF this python al the time, bat from memo
~ should imagine i to he nine or tea feet
long.
Next &c these large snakes the veno-
NOUS kinds seemed 10 attract most stten-
ton. some rabhits so young as 10 be al
most helpless, were dropped into the cases
Of the rattlesnakes and puff adder. They
were soon struck, but the venom was much
slower In It's action than ] should have 80
pected. The bite Of both these species is
said 20 be fatal 10 man, yet these small
animals survived about twenty minutes.
The bites were effectively given, as in one
instance blood ooEed from the punctunes,
and in another il flowed from thu nose and
mouth. paid particular attention 10 the
act Of striking, having understood that our
English viper does not strictly speaking,
bite--thai Is, does not close the jaws, bur,
with the mouth wide open, drives in the
fangs by a downward stroke Of the upper
law. Ike the blow Of hammer. The puff
adder. however, seemed 20 seize lie prey
with a momentary grip leaving 90 i'm
mediaiely.
a halfgrown rabbit was given 70 an
other venomous species-I think a horned
viper but, though the poor little animal
was repeatedly pashed az against the rep
lille, the latter would not strike. Every
effort was made to initiate IL and il fire.
ouently tnrned round vengefrlly, kissing
like a small steam engine all the time, but
Il would not use lis weapons. The glass
snakes appeared more ready to feed than
most Of the others; mice were provided for
their rejection, and one Of them disposed Of
two or three IN rapid succession. Shortly
after, happening 70 pass the python's den,
a bang on this glass apprised me that my
Ophidian friend was still bent on making
closer acquaintance.