SUBJECTS OF NATURAL HISTORY, The Anaconda.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 4, Issue 80, 15 January 1852, Page 3

SUBJECTS OF NATURAL HISTORY, The Anaconda.

The Anaconda is a serpent, a native of the island of Ceylon, of enormous magnitude and strength: it is said to be capable of conquering the largest and fiercest quadruped, and concerning whose actions the most wonderful stories are related. An encounter between one of these serpents and n most powerful tiger is described by an eye-witness in language of fearful interest: Though unable to get rid of its cruel enemy, the tiger gave it prodigious trouble. A hundred times would it rear up, and run a lit.le way j but soon fall down again, partly oppressed by the weight, and partly by the folds and wreathed twists of the serpent round its body. Hut though the tiger fell it was far from being entirely conquered. After some hours it seemed much spent, and lay as if dead-, when the serpent, which had many times violently girded itself round the tiger, vainly attempting to break its bones, now quitted its hold, twisting its tail only round the neck of its prey, which was in no condition either to resist or escape. Having by degrees dragged the tiger to a i tree, the monster wound its body round the ! animal and the trie together several times, girding both with such violence that the ribs and other bones began to give way; and by repealed efforts of this kind, it broke ail the ribs, one by on", each of which gave a loud crack in breaking. It ne.U attempted the legs, and broke them seveially in the same maimer, each in four or live dillerent places. This employed many hours, duiin.j all which time the poor tiger remained alive ; and at every crack of the bones gave a faint but most piteous howl. A loathsome description of the serpent's " licking the body ami covering it with its slaver," preparatory to the ait of .swallowing is then given -, and the account thus concludes. " Much t'me was employed in this business; but at length the seipent having prcpartd the whole to its mind, drew itself up be ore its prey ; and, seizing the head, began to suck tn.it, anil I afterwards * !»•- body, down into its throat." Hut this, it appear.;, wa.f the w.irk of some j hours; and it had so jjoi-ed tint the next j morning, on being attacked by the parly who I were witnesses to his monster meal, the serpent could neither defenil himself nor retreat ; and he Was dispatched by irpeated heavy blows on | the head with large clubs. He wa-> thiity three ; fett iu !e.,.ih. I

Hoists Storv. —We heard n story of the performance of a robin in the garden of one •if <'iir citizens, on l'riilay lust, which interested us no: n little, inasmuch as the little creature and his nunc exhibited n. sagacity, an; 'timing to human rraon. The incident occurred in the gaidcn of Mr. John Uroniham, which : ° n large 'one rcachim! from his house in Olive street over to Wiirrdii street. While he was ailenilSirj; to some part of it, near his house, a robin 11-'W abjul hir.: apparently in gieal excitement, lie t >"k but little notice of it i.t fits* ; hut the oird persovend in every rll-ri to nttract liis attention, and was soon MUiesiful. Mr. 11. remember-. : that lhcr<* v. as a robin's nest in a ti»e at the end of the {.v.itlcn, •nut tlie.e be some triubi.- tier-, mil ftirieil in that direction. Tht- ;i:il iirco.-iip.iiitcil him, keeping close by hissi. e, c'latteiing violently all the way. On approaching the uesi h'! found the fenvile

bird equally agitated, ntnl on t iking deliberate j observatioi, discovered a very young roln'u [ silting on the fi;iici> > and a cat below! intently watching it, and ready to pounce! upon it on the failure of its attempt to rcich 1 tho tree. Mr. U. drove away the cat, when' the two birds instantly came to the assistance of their young one, encourage 1 it lo try in new fledged winys f>r the tree, which il did, and saf.dy reached lis nest, to the great apparent delight of tho whole fentlieie I family, 'l'lio bird had seen cnou:;h of ; Mr. U, to know that he would not injure it or in progeny—it knew that he could protect th.'in, and knew how to attract his attention and lead him lo the scene of (Linger—and it knew that il would not he sife for it to in yonnof one to make any client to reach the tree while the dreaded enemy was heiow, ready to Miring upon it in cise ot its fai.uie Is not all tliii icry near akin lo hum in re.ison.'