The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-26
LONG FASTs OF SNAKES.
Remarkable Facts Gathered by the
Revue Scientifque, Paris.
Public Opinoion.

/
NJ. ]. Pellegrin has written to the Zoolog-
ical Society OF a curious feat of fasting
of a serpent, and in this connection 1t may
be stated that frequently among the ophid-
the duration of which is extraordinary
Among serpents in captivity individuals
are noticed which, although side by side
with those who willingly accept the food
given them, obstinately refuse all and
every sort of nourishment. This state of
affairs cannot be indefinitely prolonged but
death frequently does not occur until after
a lapse of time, which in many cases is
very great, as will be seen from the fol-
lowing interesting particulars:
At the snakehouse of the Museum of Nat
ural history In Paris facts of this nature
are noticed frequently, and August Dumeril
cites the case of a snake of North America
which remained fifteen months without TAX
ing nourishment and a rattlesnake which
only ate at the end of twenty-six months.
NJ. Valiant cites the case OF a pelophile
which is still living after twenty-three
took food at the end of twenty-nine
months. This observer further reports the
case of two pelophiles which died of inani-
the extraordinary period of forty-nine
months. that is. more than four years.
The case which we wish to especially no
tice here Is remarkable not for the duration
of the fast-which was sufficiently long
nearly two and one-half years-but above
all for the loss of weight OF the animal,
that is, nearly two-thirds of the original
Crossat at Geneva, experiments which
were made on warm-blooded animals for
the most part 1t seems that death occurs
independently of every other cause when
the subject has lost 40 TO 80 per cent. of the
original weight. Vi. Pellegrin reached the
same conclusion with reference to ring
snakes, which, after being submitted to alb
solute fasting that is. deprived not only Of
| food but of water, died on the average after
| a loss of IS per cent. of the original weight.
In the cases OF those submitted TO relative
fasting, that is, not deprived of water,
death occurred after a loss of 43 per cent.
| of the original weight, but the duration OF
life was with them three times greater.
/ 1t is not the same in the following case
The 18th of November, 1882 there was
\ placed in the snakehouse OF the museum a
/ superb reticulated python of Japan which
/ measured nineteen and one-half feet in
length his coloration being living and bril-
liant his diameter enormous, and his ac-
tivity denoting the most nourisning state
| of health. Furthermore. he manifested a
dangerously aggressive disposition. He
/ was offered the most diverse foods. but all
were obstinately refused. Sheep. rabbits,
| fered, and whilst at times he stifed these
| in his coils he left them without touching
| them. de contented himself with frequent
| bathing in his basin, and this fact is i'm
| portant. as death comes much quicker with
the ophidians submitted to an absolute
fast.
| began TO decrease In volume, the brilliant
and glistening color present at hrst giving
place TO dull, gray color, and at the COM
| mencement OF 1902 he was surprisingly thin,
| being nothing more than skin and bone.
Completely apathetic and inoffensive, he
| allowing himself TO be handled with impuni-
ty remaining perfectly inert. rolled up I'm
the corner OF his cage. At different times
IL was sought to feed him by means OF eggs
| placed in his mouth, but this nourfshmen nj
produced no result and his body rapidly
became covered with sores, fragments OF
| gangrenous skin were detached from the
| creature. and the odor was very disagree
| able. II was observed that partial and sue
| cessive death of the organs preceded in a
| way the total death, which occurred the
10Th OF April 1902. that is. after Two years
| five months and three days OF fasting.
The animal weighed at the time Of death
! twenty-five kilos. the initial weight having
been seventy-five kilos. Thus the reduction
| was forty-eight kilos. or nearly two-thirds
of the original weight. remarkable fig
| ure. which seems to prove that sometime:
| with the larger adult ophidians, submit
| ting voluntarily TO a relative fast, dealt
| does not occur until after loss of weight
| much greater than Chossat thought.