A BOA-CONSTRICTOR DEFIED.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 190, 15 April 1902, Page 3

A BOA-CONSTRICTOR DEFIED.

'An extraordinary tale is told of a rabbit that defied and baffled a hungry boa-constrictor, whose dinner the rabbit was designed to be. The incident took place in a continental menagerie, and the little creature was thrust into the cage of a hugh serpant which gave a joyous hiss on perceiving him, and prepared at once to facinate.

But this particular rabbit had a strain of heroic blood within him and would not be facinated. He sat down before the boa, and looked into his eyes with calm defiance. The serpent then let out one of the rings of his mighty coil, and raised his head a little. The rabbit, undaunted, made a series of irregular bounds, keeping his eve upon the monster, as if performing a war-dance. He also moved his long ears backwards and forwards in a menacing manner.

The boa was evidently astonished at this unwonted behaviour of his repast, and drew back his head ; upon which the doughty rabbit sprang upon him and put him to utter rout. The serpent coiled himself away in a distant corner, and the rabbit retired to lithe olhcr end of the cage, where he sat down and vigilantly watched for the next movement of his fcs.

< The next, morning an attendant found them in exactly the same positions. Struck with admiral i n for the rabbit's courage, he handed him a bunch of lettice, which the animal ate with evident relish. Then thinking the rabbit worthy of a better fate, he took him out of the cage.