EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 359, 5 March 1881, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENT.

A curious incident, which the Precursenr, of Antwerp, states to have positively occurred at. the Zoological Gardens in that town, is in one of its recent / rwa ! " '~ the hour for the , "ejpents, and two of them,'born a couple of years ago in the gardens, commenced simultaneously devouring the same rabbit, one beginning operations at its head, the other at its rail. The -natural result was that in course of time they both reached the middle of the rabbit, and a dispute arose as to which should swallow the remaining morsel. The larger serpent of the.two made the greatest headway, but his colleague held as fast ! to the carcass, and in the heat of the j battle his vis-a-vis, making a desperate I effort to bolt the rest of the rabbit, drew in with it the head of the smaller serpent. The body gradually followed the bead into its living tomb, and soon there remained but about two decimetres of tail visible ! At this critical juncture the keepers perceived what was passing, and a couple of them entered the cage to rescue the victim from its unpleasant position. After considerable difficulty thev sccceeded in obtaining a firm grasp on the bit of tail,, and with a long pull »nd a strong pull brought back serpent in safety, none the worse for the adventure. TJieswallotfer, however, was rather indisposed for the next few hours, says the journal -which most extraordinary story, but both serpents are now in their normal condition again. i