. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms;. Zoology; Birds; Reptiles; Fishes. SNAKES 191 '-*^r^;,3f*"' 7/^;^^7^V ^, J- ^-^^â. .â fei' -Mt- /â ^o;. tt D. Zj Smcf] CARPET-SNAKE 6'& called icilh reference to the ---carh'^died cat pet-like pattern cj its ski/i 4 namentatwr: tailpixhensile. The T^â l'ICAL PVTHdN'S, or RoCK-SXAKES, as they are called, with refer- ence to their rock-frei_iiient- ing habits, are distributed throughout South-eastern Asia, .\ustralia, and Central and South Africa. The TxiJlAX PvTiiox, which is the largest Old World representative
. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms;. Zoology; Birds; Reptiles; Fishes. SNAKES 191 '-*^r^;,3f*"' 7/^;^^7^V ^, J- ^-^^â. .â fei' -Mt- /â ^o;. tt D. Zj Smcf] CARPET-SNAKE 6'& called icilh reference to the ---carh'^died cat pet-like pattern cj its ski/i 4 namentatwr: tailpixhensile. The T^â l'ICAL PVTHdN'S, or RoCK-SXAKES, as they are called, with refer- ence to their rock-frei_iiient- ing habits, are distributed throughout South-eastern Asia, .\ustralia, and Central and South Africa. The TxiJlAX PvTiiox, which is the largest Old World representative of its race, is k'nown authentically to attain to a length of 30 feet, and in the largest specimens the spinal culunin may include over 400 vertebrae. In comnKjn with other members of its faniil}', this huge snake kills its quarry b_v conipressiijii or strcUigulation, throwing aroimd it succc^six-e coils of its bod\', which, with their contraction, crush out the life of the victim. The (.lispatched prey is then swallowed whole, commencing with the head. The previous crushing of the bony framework greatly assists the swallowing process, which is further aided b)' the snake pouring over the body of its victim a copious discharge of saliwa. The extent to which the jaws and the integument of the body generall\' can be distended for the passage and reception of the food is remarkable. After partaking of a solid meal in this fashion, p^-thons remain sluggish and in a state of semi-torpor for se\'eral days, not reawakening to active life, in fact, until the digestion of the food has been accomplished. As is well known, these and other snakes can exist for periods of many months' durati'^n between their meals. One of the largest Indian pythijns by no means contents itself with such small quarry as hares and rabbits â sheep, }'i:iung calves, and some of the smaller deer representing its more accustomed food. The human species unarmed is as weak or weaker than the proverbial kitten
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecad, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectzoology
