Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-06-22

The duck did not seem at first much con.
cerned at such unusual treatment, but
soon became restless, on which the python
frightened the fold. and in about a minute
had quite destroyed it. Having waited for
some minutes, as If 10 make sure that life
was extinct, he slowly unwound his coil
Fl ON the body, and touched it with his
muzzle, moving it about until he had found
the head. The idea Of fabrication with
saliva, now quite exploded, evidently arose
from this habit OF feeling over the body
with the mouth. Having taken the head
into his mouth, he began 10 swallow the
carcass, his jaws stretching to an immense
extent to allow OF its passage. When he
found any difficulty, he used the part of
his body which lay nearest to it to push it
gently, and, considering the apparent diff
Guilty, was not long In completing his
meal. The supply OF food is never stinted,
and we believe that it is not uncommon
for python to devour six or eight ducks
and rabbits on one day. Of course full
meal takes long period TO digest, as is
the case with all reptiles.
The colubrine snakes might with pro-
priety be termed legless lizards, as, with
the exception of the want of limbs, they
are in most respects similar in structure to
the saurians. A fine, lively specimen of
the Bengal rat snake was fed with half a
dozen frogs, which he pursued with great
speed round the enclosure, and, driving
them one by one into corner, seized and
swallowed them in spite of their strug-
giles.
The keeper having put two young GUM
ca pigs into the case containing the rattle
otac ,ff ha alylc inc I've ctr ,cly
at that nearest to him. The action of q
cannot strictly be called bite, as, though
the fangs undoubtedly represent teeth, the
jaws are not closed upon the object struck,
which is simply punctured. the snake in
most cases retiring Immediately. The
Guinea-pig almost Immediately showed
signs Of giddiness, but its body Gid not ap-
pear to swell; it seemed to be thrown into
violent convulsions, and in about minute
fell helplessly on its side, with no other
sign of life than occasional spasmodic mo
ton of its jaws. A larger animal would
not have been so soon killed but as
the snakes, being confined, have not
often occasion to use their venom, ii is
probably more powerful than while they
are in wild stale. There are large mum
Der of puff adders in one case; and a
Guinea pig being introduced began sniff
ing about as usual, but though he was
touching one of the reptiles, it did not
seem disposed to strike, when suddenly
another puff-adder darted at full length
from an opposite corner, and striking the
creature, remained with its fangs appa-
rently buried in its flesh, contrary, we be-
lieve, to the usual habit of the rept lie.
His intention was, perhaps, to prevent any
of the others from devouring it,
There are specimens of the two species
of cobras, the Indian and Egyptian; per-
haps the most interesting of all serpents
but, on account Of their excitable nature,
it has been found necessary to hide them
partially from view by filling the lower
half of the case-front with ground glass,
SO that it is not easy to observe them.
The appearance of the cobra when about
to give the fatal stroke is graceful, gnd yet
terrible to see. The inflated hood, the
waving motion Of the head, and the pecu-
liar expression of the eye, combine to inn
press the observer of its consciousness OF
the deadly power which it possesses, and
with which it threatens any living crear
ture that dares approach it.