The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-02-20

n nc o. CNlliDlIlHS
instereopticons is SO well known and
skple as to need no further eXplana-
tn herc.--W. o. Eschwage, in Pitts
&gh Dispatch.
4 misunderstood REPTILE.
Sne Facts Concerning the Habits of the |
Reticulated Python.
Ifrhere are two kinds of constructing !
.pn-p iSonous snakes which are found |
hAsia. The reticulated python is an
Ihabitant of the Malay countries. The
loler species is the rock snake of India
Hal Ceylon. They are generally akin
ID the boaS of South Americas; but,
wereas it is disputed point whether
has lay eggs or produce their young
ALE, pythons are undoubtedly oviper-
os There was Il famous python in the
Jrdin des Plantes which actually
htched a brood Of young ones i'll the
| var 1871 after sitting on fifteen eggs,
mich she had collected in q conical
| ne, for about eight weeks. Our own
| uthons have not been equally for
tnate. as their eggs have been in
yriably added. But during the period
| o incubation they exhibited strong evil
| dnces of maternal affection, and the
| Leper only removed the eggs at the
] eril of his life.
IIIt is more than probable that most OF
the ''snake stor cs" which are told
against the python are gross libcls on
its character. 1t rarely attacks human
beings, and though there an authentl-
Gated case of python having killed d
Malay, lie is supposed to have given
himself away by going to sleep on the
bench Again, it is hardly necessary to
say that those pictures of full-grown
buffalo or axis-deer in the act of being
devoured by a python, which decorated
the natural history books OF our youth,
are due entirely to the imagination OF
the artist. The largest python il the
Geological gardens is fed habitually on
ducks. and those competent to speak
with authority on the subject are GER
tain that he could not swallow an ami
nal larger than a half-grOwn sheep.
Nor can you honestly say that the
python is voraciouS. 1t takes him a
month to digest an animal of any slzt
and he frequently goes for many weeks
without food \ fast of twenty-five
weeks is quite common, when the rep
tile is in a semi-torpid condition. ant
there is a recorded instance of Succ
performance of year and clever
months. which was accomplished with
out any perccptihle i'll effects. He i
also slow eater. the operation OF SorG
ing taking about two hours.
The method by which the python bag
his game is sportSmanlike in the OK
IRENE. At one time he will lie down il
the water and seize his victim by tn
nose when in the act of drinking. y
another he will swing lazily from
tree by his prehensilc tail, and, as tn
animal passes underneath, will fix HI
, laws in the neck In Il twinlling tn
, coils are round the body of the pre-
, and all life is crushed out of it. Notf
|, inc can exceed the wonderful mecha1
, ism by which the folds of the serpcn
f unaidcd by the eye, are used to get tn
victim into an attitude CONVENIENT ..;.,i t t.
: with the outstretched wings of Il duel
} Indeed. when very hungry, pytho
; can tackle three birds at once, holdin
S one in his month and two more in h
c coils. SO far from being petrificd wit
D horror, as the legend has it. the victi
t appears absolutely Indifferent to tt
/ snake until it is seized, and then thcr
e is small time for reflection. Rabbi
a have actually been seen to nibble at tt
= monster which was about 10 devol
them; and an enterpriSing rat once BIT
t piece ont of python which was in
t lethargic condition.
h Again, the stories OF constructors co
: ering their prey with saliva hcfoi
y swallowing them must be rejected {
t block No doubt saliva flows free.
: during the process. but Il mere glan'
t at the reptiles slender tongue demo
S strates how untitled IL is for its 81
e posed office. You might as well try
Il lay on mortar with Il toaSting-forl
Il Besides, with all his faults, the pytht
G is gentleman, and in his younger III
smaller days is by no means untitt'
e for the society of the drawing-rool
But the delicacv of his constitution al
e liability to diseases of the mouth re
r der him short-lived pet, except
y places with special heating apparat'
l. and expert attendance, like the 10
IL logical gardens.-London Daily New