Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/549

Rh about ten minutes. Strangely enough, after this it refused to feed, and died of starvation the following November. The young were totally ignored by the mother, although when at rest they generally kept near her (avoiding the male), invariably lying upon or around her, and at the slightest alarm slipping under and along the coils of her body, thus disappearing from view. This habit has no doubt given origin to the numerous reports of female Vipers temporarily swallowing their families till danger was past.— (102, Kingston Road, Wimbledon, Surrey).

Viper killed by a Mouse.—I was in the same district last July, and captured, amongst others, a very fine gravid female, with which I hoped to be more successful than in the previous year; but the result was still more disastrous. Although particularly vicious at first, after a few weeks' confinement it became sufficiently docile to allow free handling. Some time previous to giving birth it became sickly, and the young, when born, soon died. Guided by my previous experience, I tried it with a Mouse, but this was ignored, and for over a week both lived on perfectly happy terms. One evening, on going to feed the Mouse, I was amazed to find it hanging on to the Viper's head, like a miniature Bull-dog, the unfortunate reptile vainly endeavouring to shake it off. I promptly killed the aggressor, and found also that it was necessary to treat the Snake likewise, for, on examination, I found that both eyes had been eaten out, and the maxillary bearing the poison-fang bitten through. How the Mouse passed unscathed is a mystery, for the Snake, although weak, was quite capable of striking, the uninjured fang being erected freely after the attack. Was it instinct that taught this (a house Mouse) that a dangerous enemy deprived of sight became practically harmless? Certainly, it was not hunger, for plenty of fresh food remained untouched.— (102, Kingston Road, Wimbledon, Surrey).

[I had a somewhat similar experience with a large Python (P. sebae), which I kept for some months, and never induced to feed. Among other proffered viands was a live Rat, which I positively had to remove after about thirty-six hours, as it had attacked the body of the lethargic serpent. In this case I presume that hunger had overcome fear.—]