The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-07-22


not always submit without a fight is
shown from the number of broken
ribs that are found in the skeletons
There is an artificially mounted
skeleton of a twenty-five foot retic-
ulated python in which there are
thirty-seven ribs that show we'll
marked fractures, and a number of
others that show indications of frac.
ture Some of them have been bro
ken two and even three times. In
one, the ends have slipped past each
other for about a half inch, and the
two sides are knitted together. In
one place there are five fractured
ribs in succession. A peculiar fea-
ture about these broken ribs is that
they always occur toward the pos
terror quarters of the snake. II is
probable that the animal responsible
for these fractures is the Bornean
wild pig. Doubtless the reptile usu-
ally seizes the pig near the head, AMI
throws his coils about the shoulders
The posterior limbs are thus left free,
and with these he fights desperately
till life is crushed out, frequently,
as is plainly evident doing serious
damage to his assailant.
In conformity to their attenuated
form, snakes have a large number of
vertebrae and ribs. A popularity of
the skeleton is that there are but two
ceryical vertebrae. The atlas and
axis or first and second bones of the
spinal column, next to the head, bear
no ribs, but they start with the third
vertebra. Neother are there any
lumbar or sacral vertebrae.
In the reticulated vertebrae there
are 361 vertebrate. OF these, two are
cervical, thirty-seven caudal and 322
dorsal. The caudal vertebrae all
bear transverse processes, the proxi-
NAL ones long and broad, diminishing
gradually toward the tip of the tail,
but they do not disappear, even on
the last distal vertebra. It may be
that these are but ribs anky-losed to
the vertebrae. It is sometimes diff
cult to distinguish just where the
ribs end and the transverse processes
begin. This is true in the Indian py-
thon. AS already intimated, there are
1922 pairs of ribs. However, it is
highly probable that this number
will not hold constant. Even in man
there may be thirteen, eleven, or as
few as nine pairs. At least one hi.
man skeleton has been known with
twelve ribs on one side and thirteen
on the other.
Likewise the teee& of the python
are numerous In the upper jaw
there is a row Of teeth in the mayll-
larry and a second row, set at consi1-
cradle distance inside the first and
| imbedded in the palatine bones in
the lower jaw there is but one row
, of teeth, that of the inferior maxi
+ larry, but it is really double, as there
} is line OF tiny teeth just inside the
larger ones. The teeth are all acute
4 ly conical in form, smooth and will
G no cavities, depressions or ridges, ant
e set so that they point toward th'
] back of the mouth. They sery,
. merely for catching and holding tn
+ prey. AS there are no particles o
S decaying food on the tooth to be can
= ried into the wound and produc
= blood poisoning, a bite from one q
p these monsters usually heals quickly
n In seeking his prey, the python dc
r ponds much more on his sense {
e smell than on that of sight. II
d always dangerous to go near thes
IS big snakes with the smell of an
Al bird or mammal on the hands {
o. clothing. When they are hungry an
s. scent their natural food, they wi
strike at the first thing they sc
n moving. They will even strike imam
Is mate objects which have come
rs touch with their natural prey Or
Of evening we were feeding a big p
7r thon. For some reason it droppC
the prey, and to get him to return
Up the chicken a wooden duster w
10 pushed toward his head. Instant
Pr he struck and seized the buster
te his teeth, His jaws had to be pri
ly open to make him let go. Und
IS, similar circumstances, pyth
ne seized and swallowed a blank
I'd
let Continued on page nineteenD