. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms; . the white man, has fallen a victim to their attacks. The Reticulated Python, so called on account of the bold reticulated pattern of the skin-ornamentation, may equal, if not exceed, the Indian species in dimensions. It is a nativeof Burma, Siam, and the Malay region generalh, and is recorded as occasionally exceeding30 feet in length. Examples of this species, including one over 20 feet long, have constitutedleading attractions at the Reptile-house in the Zoological Societys Gardens for many yearspast. The gorgeous p
. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms; . the white man, has fallen a victim to their attacks. The Reticulated Python, so called on account of the bold reticulated pattern of the skin-ornamentation, may equal, if not exceed, the Indian species in dimensions. It is a nativeof Burma, Siam, and the Malay region generalh, and is recorded as occasionally exceeding30 feet in length. Examples of this species, including one over 20 feet long, have constitutedleading attractions at the Reptile-house in the Zoological Societys Gardens for many yearspast. The gorgeous prismatic tints that play upon the surface markings of the coils of these huge snakes, as thesun strikes upon themabout midday in theircages, form one of themost wonderful sightsthat the Gardensafford. The African Con-tinent also producesits large species ofp\thons. One ofthese, attaining to a fh,t>h,,.rrM,-Eu,.-\ lE.„„. ^ngth of 20 fcCt OF ^SCULAPIAN SNAKE more, reaches itsmaxi- W Sout/i European spectes ivtl/i tree climbing habits mum On the WCStCOast,. 192 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD and occurs with local modifications as far eastand south as Natal. In the latter countryit is most familiarl}- known as the NatalRoCK-SXAKE. Some rather singular incidents have beenrecorded illustrating the tenacit}- with which])ythons retain hold of the quarry once seized,nr, more correctly, their inability to releaseit. At the Adelaide Zoological Gardens as[)ecinien, when absorbing a rabbit, managedto entangle its teeth in a corner of itsblanket. That blanket had to follow therodent through the l2-foot-long python. Onanother occasion two pythons, a Oueenslanderand Afrikander, happened at the same instantto commandeer respectively the head andhindquarters of an identical rabbit. Inch byinch the portion between the two grew smalleruntil the two noses met. There was noretreating from this impasse, and the mo-inentous question, Shall I slay my brotherboa? had to be settled aff
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecad, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectzoology
