Milford chronicle., 1893-10-20
SHED AND EAT THEIR COATS
Interesting Proceedings Of Two Of ii
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Interesting Proceedings of Two Of the
Largest Snakes In America
The two large pythons which were i'm
ported from India for the zoologicol gar
den have made themselves at home in their
new quarters. They are said to be the
largest reptiles in this country and natn-
rally attract considerable attention. They
had only been here two weeks when both
snakes underwent a change. They became
droopy, and it was seen that they had be
| gun TO shed their skins.
The shedding process is about at an end
now, but the manner in which the snakes
accomplish the greater part of the job is
wonderful. The greater python measures
16 feet and the other 12 They are males
and have mouths like cellar doors, that are
I filed with fangs On Monday last the big
snake which had eaten nothing for three
weeks because be was shedding his coat,
got a move ON himself and climbed one Of
the small trees and coiled all around the
limbs. Then he rubbed his head and neck
violently against the branches in every di-
rection and gradually loosened the old Gu
ticle from around his head, mouth and
neck.
In the meantime the other snake was not
idle. 1t, too, coiled around the tree, and
raising its head took hold Of its big broth /
er's neck, and by careful manipulation loos- !
ened the skin from the head and neck for
about a foot down. Then it took hold of I
the loosened skin, and the keeper and spec
tators who were watching the proceedings I
saw what was going to happen. With its 4
head and neck free the big snake could help I
in the shedding operation, and it twisted I
around the tree near tho top and began to
pull away from the smaller snake at top
speed Inch by inch the old skin was re-
leased and the bright colors of the new cuti-
Gle came in view. 1t took nearly an hour
to get about half of the body free from the
old covering, and then both snakes rested.
The skin was pulled back Just as one would
turn glove inside out and gave the rep
tile peculiar appearance.
When the snakes resumed their Job, they
employed different tactics. The larger
snake climbed higher, and the other made
itself fast lower down the tree. Thesmaller
one took hold of the skin and pulled for all
it was worth until all Of the covering, with
the exception Of about two feet from the
big snakes tail, was loose.
Then a most wonderful thing happened.
Inc DIX uahse Aedu was az Jne TOP Oh the
tree, and he hadn't been paying much at
tention to the goings on at the other end Of
his body. When the smaller snake stopped
pulling, the big one looked down and saw
that something was wrong. His eyes glisY {
tened, and reaching down he grabbed az
of his own covering and proceed
ed to finish the job. 1t was done with dis
patch and ease. The big snake seemed {
proud at his new suit and wrggled all
around the case and admired himself for
some time. Then, to the astonishment of
the watchers, the smaller snake climbed the
tree and went through the same perform
lnce, assisted by the larger one.
After both reptiles were free from the old ]
skins they made a meal of them, and each {
drank about a gallon of water to wash
down the repast.-Philadelphi Press.