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

A WRITER in the English Naturalist's
Vote Book, who has recently witnessed the
(eding of the serpents in the Geological
Erdens in London, says that they are fed
hce a week, though some of them, and III
Srticular the pythons, do not take their
bd so often, but will eat enough at a
kal to last for weeks, and even for
nths.
bisregarding the scientific divisions of
order which comprises these animals,
may divide them into three classes:
tly, those which seize their prey with
ir teeth, and crush it in their folds;
ondly, those which seize and swallow
live, after the manner of lizards; and,
rdly, those which bite, or rather strikes it
th poisonous fangs. Ofthe first, the finest
implies are the pythons and boas, be,
es which there are the yellow snakes OF
West Indies and others. Those of the
pnd are fewer in number; they include
rat snake Of Bengal, viperine snake,
glish snake, etc. The present speci.
bs of the third class include rattle
kes, and Indian and Egyptian cobras,
ervipers, ETC.
he constructing serpents, as we may
m them, are kept in large cages, the
rance to which is ethel by glass door
he front, which opens by sliding up,
by similar continuance at the back, in
wooden partition. The colubrine
kes are In some of these cases generally,
indeed are so harmless that little pre-
ton is needed. The venOmous ser
It's have no opening but small one on
lid of the case, about two or three
hes square. Through this their food is
oduced, and all necessary operations
the cleanliness and order of the inter
are performed with a rod of stout wire,
he evident disgust of the occupants,
b, if new Corners, strike at it vigorously
their fangs. The first to be fed were
yellow snakes and other species
the same case. The keeper, having
tremendously removed the blan-
beneath which most of the occu-
Is of the compartment were huddled
Pther, as usual, quickly introduced un-
the glass door about dozen sparrows
one or two Guinea-pigs The former
lediately retired to the darkest corners,
hing, however, to be quite uncon-
ed as to the presence Of the snakes,
some cases they stood on the bodies
The latter, which for the most part
hined motionless. The Guinea-pigs
more restless, moving slowly about
in search of food. They seemed to
preferred by the snakes to the spar
and presently one of the reptiles,
llg his opportunity, seized a Guinea
BIZ the neck, and, jerking it nearer,
two or three fold round it, killing it
few seconds.
e O ther snakes rapidly dispatched
parl ows in the same way When
but they were apparently in no
as ii we're was a number of birds in
Drner {, lr more than an hour, which
ot been touched during that time.
y be wei to remark that there is
pg revolt ing in the spectacle OF a
BIT taking IS food. Its victim suffers
er the me utal nor bodily torture
arily suppos 'ed When seized, 1t is
without della y. especially If it strug- |
escape: and before its seizure it is |
conscious of danger. Not only is
tell known to tn ose in charge OF the
res, but we can srify it from actual
reful observation. A rabbit will APP
snake out of mt re curiosity, and,
hitting at its head, md even being
ID by its tongue, will start to another
the enclosure, and re sumo Its com,
returning again in tive course Of
llorations to the same snake with.
le least uneasiness, except what
from want of cabbage-le sves ana
ligestibility of the gravel .7eorlng;;
-pigs show even less coDce IN, ana
SO easily startled by any m owing
snakes which had seized the 81 ar-
to-, waited till their prey was quite
before they uncoiled, and began
to prepare for swallowing it. The
p, which occupied an adjoining
ID are the largest sserpents in the
on, were next supplied with two or
ncks. The largest python instant p
d one, and threw one fold round 1t.
p remained perfectly motionless,
ng to be satisfied with having &C.
be bird, and did NOT ct once Kill IL. I