The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-28
FEEDING A MONSTER BOA.

Snakes are not big eaters. That Is 10 say, they do not eat frequently, but when they get good and ready they can do the subject of food ample jus tice. At least, the big constructor in the Zoo showed his capabilities Satur- day, when, after fast of his own choosing for three or four months, he concluded to eat a mite, just to keep him in good condition for the summer season, when he will take the road with the Robinson shows, for this great snake, in all about twenty-five feet long without stretching himself, IS property of the Roblnsons. They have
 been caring for him at the Zoo some time, the only item of rent being his keep, and that, as you will see is not much. as he has had but two square, or rather round, meals in six or eight months.
 At different times they have tempted him, but he turned from food even when offered in live shape, and said
 in snake talk, "No thank you" But people who have fooled with snakes know that they will come to their appe- tites if you only let them alone. On Saturday last, Sol stephan tried this | snake with some water in a big pan. He dabbled in it little and then drank | the whole allowance. Maybe, if he was | so thirty, he would also eat, and the | experiment was made.
 l In anticipation of the feast two pup | py dogs had been provided, weighing
 about twelve or fifteen pounds each. They were not high-bred dogs, just plain dog and spaniel mixed, for there 1 is no necessity for feeding a. snake | thoroughbred dogs. When his lengthy
 majesty is hungry he will eat almost
 any kind of a dog. About or o'clock | in the afternoon one of the pups was l put in the cage. Now, there was no l struggle, nor any frantic efforts on the part of the dog to escape. He huddled
 to himself in a timid and backward
 way as if the game wasn't to his lik- ing. But the boa felt differently. He | reached out in minute or two and
 embraced the pup. Then he took an
 extra wrap or two, until there was nothing to be seen but trace of a dog
 tangled up in the folds of the huge boa
 constructor. There was squeal from
 the pup, but it was not protracted
 Then there was the crunching of bones I dllsl Lilc tCl OI hlllill5 Wua1 elii ONOi
 though there was no break in the pro-
 gramme of the victor. He opened his
 cavern of mouth and the remains of
 the pup went to another cavern prop
 erly prepared for him.
 About this time MT. Snake coiled
 himself up as if for a long winters nar
 but his keepers concluded while he was
 in the mood to give him enough to last
 him for a few months, anyhow. So al
 o'clock, or thereabout, another pun
 was put in the cage and watched. Ii
 was evident that the boa would go or
 with his meal. for he was now interest ed in the proceedings. Within hal1 hour he reached, if a snake can reach and gathered puppy dog No. to tht folds, and in the same way, over the
 same route, the second puppy went tt a cavern, but not to the same one. Th'
 first had moved further along in thu
 snakes peculiar anatomy, leaving
 plenty of room for the second install : ment Yesterday there were two bis protuberances in plain evidence, show
 ing the exact status of the pups, anC ! they will be there for few days yet.
 Yesterday John Robinson was at tn
 gardens, and he was glad to hear o , the snake feeding. He wants him t eat some more while he is in the mood With this view, he will to-day send tw more puppies to the Zoo, hoping tha the snake will gorge himself we'll an' good.
 Since his meal the boa has been rath CT quiet. Like man who has gorge 7 himself, he seems inclined to sleep : off, though he has by no means beel } entirely motionless. He knows wha : is going on all the time, and he is no f in any better humor simply because h r has been fed.--From the Cincinnati |. a, tnl H,.;t,,,,a