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Show 1894.] ON A CASE OE ONE SNAKE SWALLOWING ANOTHER. 669 Colobocephalus rather minimizes than supports the view which Fischer has expressed. EXPLANATION OF PLATE XMV. Fig. 1. Colpodaspis pusilla, from Plymouth. Dorsal view of the animal creeping upon a flat surface; enlarged. F. Foot. M. Mantle enclosing shell. P. Pallial appendage. S. Pallial siphon. 2. Ventral view of same, as creeping inverted on the surface-film. PI. Pleuropodial expansion. T. Tentacles. 3. Denticles from the radula of same. Zeiss, Obj. D, Oc. 4, Cam. luc. a. A half-row, showing the sickle-shaped admedian and the pair of lateral denticles. The apices are recurved upwards towards the observer. b. Same as a, but from the growing part of the radula. The denticles are seen to be connected by a chitinous sheet. c. T w o admedian denticles. d. Lateral denticles. 4. T w o views of shell of same, enlarged. 3. O n a singular case of one Snake swallowing another in the Society's Beptile-House. By A. D. BARTLETT, Superintendent of the Society's Gardens. [Received November 5, 1894.] Since January last, two fine examples of the Common Boa (Boa constrictor) have lived together on friendly terms in one of the large compartments in the Beptile-House. One of these, rather the larger, was presented by Messrs. Mole and Urich, Oct. 12, 1892, the other, rather smaller one, was purchased on Jan. 9, 1894. The Snakes are usually fed at dusk once a week, and on the evening of October 5th, Tyrrell, the keeper of the Beptile-House, placed two pigeons in the den of the tAvo Boa Constrictors. The larger one seized one of the pigeons, and no doubt sAVallowed it, after which the keeper closed the house and left. On his return the next morning he was astonished to find only one Boa in the compartment instead of two, and from the enormously increased size of the remaining one, he concluded at once that the larger Boa had swallowed its companion. That this was so was evident to all who visited the house. The enormous enlargement of the creature's body was most remarkable. It had no longer the power of curling itself round, as snakes usually do, but remained extended nearly its full length in a straight line, and appeared to be at least three times its normal size in circumference. It was almost painful to see the distended skin, which had separated the scales all over the middle of the body. After examining the snake my expectation was that it would ultimately disgorge its |
