FIGHT BETWEEN A BLACK SNAKE AND A RATTLESNAKE.
"We have no snakes in America," replied the Doctor, "that live on their kindred, but there are several of our reptiles that show a great hatred for each other. For example, the rattlesnake and the common black snake of the Eastern States are far from friendly, and when they meet there is pretty sure to be a battle. The rattlesnake coils itself for a spring, while the black snake moves rapidly from side to side to distract the attention of its antagonist, and to bewilder him. Finally, the rattler settles down with his head in the air and his mouth open, and then the other moves rapidly in a circular direction, and prepares to close the preliminaries by coming to the work.
"The rattler is bewildered in attempting to follow the movements of the black snake; the latter sees his chance and darts at the throat of his adversary, and at the same time encircles him in his folds. The black snake is a constrictor, which the other is not, and as soon as the grip is made his powers of constriction are exercised. He winds about the rattlesnake, and every moment draws his folds more tightly. The latter has no chance to use his fangs, and the combat in nineteen cases out of twenty results in favor of the black snake. Evidently he fights from pure love of combat, for he does not attempt to eat his fallen foe."
On their return to Kandy our friends went to see the great curiosity for which the place is celebrated—a tooth of the founder of the Buddhist religion.
This wonderful relic is kept in a temple dedicated to Buddha, and guarded by priests of the religion of the Far East. Near the centre of the temple there is a room about twelve feet square, with no windows, and only a single narrow door; the atmosphere is hot and damp in consequence of the lack of ventilation, and the mass of jasmine, lotos, and other flowers that are brought there daily as offerings to the deity of the temple. Whenever visitors come to the temple the priests assemble, and consequently the room becomes crowded to an unpleasant degree. This was the state of things when our friends entered.
One of the priests who spoke English acted as guide, and sent a companion to bring the key of the shrine that contained the relic. This shrine was of the shape of a bell, and stood on a solid silver table in the centre of the apartment; inside of the shrine was a smaller one of the same shape, and then another and another, and finally, in the last and smallest, the tooth was displayed resting on a golden lotos flower. Great reverence was shown to the relic by the priests that were standing around, and all seemed glad of the coming of visitors, as it gave them an opportunity to see the object they prized so highly.
