AN ANACONDA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5091, 18 July 1877, Page 3

AN ANACONDA.

An illustrious visitor from South America has arrived at the Loudon Zoological Society’s Gardens. He is one of the largest of the Boaidce family known to our generation. He is an anaconda (Eunectes murinus). This immense snake is now safely housed in the snake-house under the parental care of Holland, who baa for many year's so ably managed the snakes, poisonous and non-poisonous. Our visitor, says Mr. P. Buckland, arrived at Liverpool in a large box. Intelligence was given to Mr. Bartlett, who proceeded to Liverpool to inspect him—a matter of considerable difficulty. It will not do to buy an expensive snake of this kind without a warranty. Snakes are very liable to canker in the mouth. The gums get swollen and flabby, and completely conceal the teeth, so that the beast cannot feed. Again, if snakes are injured in the capture they frequently die in consequence. It was necessary to examine the snake as to these two points. Having been shut up for several months without food and in the dark, the auaconda was not in a good temper. When the lid was open Mr. Bartlett caught him tight round the neck with both hands ; it was not necessary to open the mouth, as the savage snake did that soon enough of himself, in true anger. A moment’s inspection showed he had no disease of the gums. It was with some difficulty that Mr. Bartlett got his head back into the box without letting out more than a foot or two of his body. The auaconda has not poisonous teeth, but has great and dangerous powers of crushing. The box with the snake weighed over 2 owt. It was with much dodging that the anaconda was conducted by two keepers to his new quarters, where he at once retreated into a bath of warm water, from which as yet he has only emerged once or twice. It is difficult to give the exact length of the snake, as he is not to be measured with as much facility as a fathom of rope. He is now lying in three parallel folds in his bath ; we know the length of the bath, and we calculate his length to be between 18 and 20 feet—a tremendous fellow. It was impossible to get a tape measure round him ; but having measured his diameter in his thickest part, we conclude that he is over 2 feet round the body. At present he is thin, and his skin fits him very loosely. It is hoped that he will soon begin to feed. Mr. Bartlett has found out how to make Mr. Anaconda feed. He covers his bath over at night, and puts therein with the snake a duck. Thd duck is always gone in the morning, and the snake appears fatter. Auaconda is decidedly nocturnal and aquatic in _ hjs habits. Like our own British snake, it is found in marshy, damp places, and he feeds upon animals which come down to drink at night. Mr. Bartlett lias ascertained that the last meal this snake had consisted of a young peccary, the horny part of the hoofs having been discovered in the stones at the bottom of the

cage ; there are also the hairs of another animal which has to be diagnosed by microscopists. This tropical American snake is also called the Aboma. The provincial name is El traga venado, or the dear-swallower. He never interferes with men, although of course he will take his own part if attacked. It is greatly to be hoped that this magnificent snake will in time get an appetite and recover from his travel-worn appearance. His color may be described as buff, with very dark markings on the upper parts. His companion in the cage is a magnificent reticulated python {Ulav sawa), caught at Penang. He has been at the gardens since August, 1876, and has not eaten anything since he arrived. He shed his skin on Sunday, February 25, and is now most lovely to behold. It would be impossible to describe the tints of the new skin (a splendid lacing of bronze, blue, gold, and black), except by saying that they are quite as gorgeous as a peacock’s plumage.