Identifier: sketchesofnatura00tenn (find matches)
Title: Sketches of the natural history of Ceylon : with narratives and anecdotes illustrative of the habits and instincts of the mammalia, birds, reptiles, fishes, insects, &c. : including a monograph of the elephant and a description of the modes of capturing and training it with engravings from original drawings
Year: 1868 (1860s)
Authors: Tennent, James Emerson, Sir, 1804-1869 Metcalf Collection (North Carolina State University). NCRS
Subjects: Zoology Elephants
Publisher: London : Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts
Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

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ut having any organs specially modified for thepurpose; except, perhaps, the lung, which is a long saccapable of taking in a sufficient quantity of air, to keepthe body of the snake above water. Nor do we find anypeculiar or specially adapted organs even in the fresh-water-snakes, although they can catch frogs or fisheswhile swimming. But in the hydrophlds, which arepermanent inhabitants of the ocean, and which in anadult state, approach the beach only occasionally, andfor very short times, the tail, which is rounded andtapering in the others, is compressed into a verticalrudder-like organ, similar to, and answering all thepurposes of, the caudal fin in a fish. When these snakesare brought on shore or on the deck of a ship, theyare helpless, and struggle vainly in awkward attitudes.Their food consists exclusively of such fishes as arefound near the surface; a fact which affords ampleproof that they do not descend to great depths, although J Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858. :«I, , \ ■«^-ii«
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Chap. IX.) SEA-SNAKES. 311 they can dive as well as swim. They are often found ingroups during calm weather, sleeping on the sea; butowing to their extreme caution and shyness, attemptsto catch them are rarely successful; on the least alarm,they suddenly expel the air from their lungs and descendbelow the surface; a long stream of rising air-bubblesmarking the rapid course which they make below. Theirpoisonous nature has been questioned ; but the presenceof a strong perforated tooth and of a venomous glandsufficiently attest their dangerous powers, even if thesehad not been demonstrated by the effects of their bite.But fortunately for the fishermen, who sometimes findthem unexpectedly among the contents of their nets,sea-snakes are unable, like other venomous serpents,to open the jaws widely, and in reality they rarelyinflict a wound. Dr. Cantor believes, that they areblinded by the light when removed from their ownelement; and he adds that they become sluggish andspeedily die.^ Those

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