The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-14
A misunderstood REPTILE.
Interesting Facts Concerning the
Habits Of the Rsticulated Python.

Interesting Facts Concerning the
Habits Of the Rsticulated Python.
From the ST. James Gazette
The reticulated python which was admit
ted last week to the reptile house in the
Geological gardens has made itself quite at
home. 1t has eaten rat, and is now COM
fortably coiled about the stump in its cage.
surveying it's visitors with that eve which
the poet Coleridge-an observant person in
his way-has correctly described as ''dull
and cold" The new arrival can hardly
claim to be "big thing in snakes" It
cannot be more than six or seven feet long {:
whereas the magnificent female Of the same
species, which has been in the gardens since
1916 drags its slow length for more than
twenty feet. But the newcomer is even
more beautifully marked than the other
with network Of black upon golden vel
low ground, whence the species takes it's
name. In fact, it is one of the handsomest
snakes in the collection, and. as pythons
Ave for many years in captivity, has plenty
Oh time before it IN which to overtake its
gigantic kinswoman.
There are two kinds of constructing non
poisonous snakes which are found in Asia.
Inc retlculated python is an iuhabitafit of
The Malay countries. The other species is
the rock snake of India and Ceylon, They
are generally akin to the boas of South
america; buC, whereas it is a disputed point
whether boas lay eggs or produce their
young alive, pythons are undoubtedly owl
Psr9ns' There was famous python in the
1aIdln des Plantes which actually Matched
brood OF young ones in the year 1871,
alGer sitting on fifteen eggs, which she had
collected IN conical pile, for about eight
weeks. Our own pythons have not been
equally fortunate, as their eggs have been
invariably added. But daring the period
OF incubation they exhibited strong evil
uences Of maternal affection, and the keeper
SUhsly removed the eggs at the peril of his
it's more than probable that most of the
snake stories" which are told against the
pyI1on are gross hbels on its character 1t
rarely attacks human beings, and though
suere Is an authenticated case of a python
having killed q Malay, he is supposed to
nave given himself away" by going to sleep
VA the bench. Again, it is hardly necessary
10 say that those pictures of full-grown
ou1alo or axis-deer in the act of being de-
r poaIed by python, which decorated the
uaVural history books of our youth, are cue
gTnltirely to the imagination of the artist.
me largest pythoa in the Geological
garden is fed habitually on ducks,
elu those competent to speak
WIN authority on the subject
are certain that he could not swallow an
MSnimal larger than q half grown sheep.
nor can you honestly say that the python
SVoraclous.e 1t takes him a month to digest
oil animal of any size. and he frequently
goes Tor many weeks without food. A fast
VI twenty-five weeks is quite common,
wi. Mnen the reptile is in a semi-torpid condi-
G elon and there Is recorded instance Of a
Huccl performance of q year and eleven
months, which was accomplished without
any perceptible i'll effects. He is slso slow
eater, the operation OF gorging taking
ABOUT two hours
!, Inc method by which the python bags
us game is sportsmanlike in the extreme.
az one time he will lie low in the water and
g. euu seize his victim by the nose when in
sle scS OF drinking. At another he will
ssMihg lazily from tree by his prehensile
.Aii, and. as the animal passes underneath,
~. IN nx his jaws in the neck. In a twinkling
ore coils are round the body of the prey and
gu NE is crushed out of it. Nothing can
e1ceed the wonderful mechanism by
I'M %snlch the folds of the serpent, unaided by
ne eye, are used TO get the victim into an
a.gutude convenient for swaIlo wing-for in
lance IN dealing with the outstretched
"lngs Of a duck. Indeed, when very
Aungry, q python can tackle three birds at