While puzzling over this drinking question, I find a favourite author, P. H. Gosse, affirm, ‘Snakes drink by suction, not by lapping,’ and that ‘serpents are said to lap up fluids with their forked tongue, which, however, seems to be ill suited to such an operation.’[29] Then one naturally turns to the encyclopedias, where we grow still more perplexed, for no two agree precisely on all points. ‘The use of the tongue in serpents is not exactly known.’[30] And again, ‘It is believed that serpents never drink.’[31] It is true that the compiler of the article _Reptilia_ quotes Schlegel a good deal; but unfortunately that is the very point on which Schlegel speaks doubtfully. Nor do we presume to include the learned Schlegel as one of the inaccurately informed individuals, though he does discredit the milk-drinkers. Of him Dumeril thus writes, or of his work rather, which he pronounced to be ‘le plus detaillé et le plus complet qui ait paru jusqu’ici (1844), et auquel nous serons sans cesse obligé d’avoir recours.’ Schlegel is also quoted by Cantor, 1841; by Dr. J. E. Gray, 1849; by Dr. A. Günther, 1864; and, in fact, by most scientific ophiologists. Natural history is an ever-advancing science, more so, perhaps, than any other. Linnæus and Cuvier were great in their day, but their systems obtain no longer. Unfortunately, a dozen book-makers and a thousand journalists seek no farther than encyclopedias when they are ‘reading up’ a subject; and not until too late, if at all, or after long searchings and a realization of the importance of dates, do these wide spreaders of information discover the error. Compilers of articles for encyclopedias are always limited as to space, and often as to time; and life would not be long enough to wade through _Zoological Records_ covering fifty years, or _Annales des sciences naturelles_ which date from 1824 to the present time. Only, the compilers of articles on the _Reptilia_ should surely have known of Mr. Bell’s _Coluber natrix_, and of the Paris python, and of the _Amphisbæna_ of the Zoological Gardens, all ophidian celebrities in their day. The mention of the Zoological Gardens reminds me of my promise to conduct my readers thither as an agreeable change from the book-shelves. Therefore, without further wearying them with the conflicting statements of fifty writers, let us repair thither, and see what Holland, the keeper, tells us about his thirsty snakes.