coil of the anaconda’s tail on the limb of its attachment, and upward retractile corrugations of his body with corresponding attenuation, disclosed the difficulty he encountered from the elasticity of his leverage, which prevented the concentration of muscular strength necessary for the strangulation of his victim. To the elasticity of the limb the alligator owed his prolonged existence and chance of advantageous retrieval. At this stage of doubtful emergency the instinctive “wisdom” of the serpent became meditatively apparent in the darting movements of his head and gleam of his watchful eyes, which were engaged in alert study to advantage his position, while guarding his straining body from the frantic strokes of the tail and distended jaws of his antagonist. The anaconda’s intention was soon made manifest, for we could plainly see his corkscrew tail traveling with insidious progress toward one of the main trunks of the tree; this once gained the moments of the saurian’s existence could be numbered, for it would afford the required resistance for crushing his body in its armor of proof. The “spectators” had watched the conflict with a superlative degree of indifference, inasmuch as favor for either of the contestants was concerned, hoping that both would be fatally disabled. But the moment the alligator began to manifest symptoms of exhaustion in the weakened strokes of its tail, and gasping throes, the human instinct of a guacho fireman sided with the weaker party in the struggle. Yet the object of his championship was scarcely a shade less repulsive than the symbolic cause of man’s squirming meanness and disposition to involve in his folds of treachery all that adventure within the reach of his cupidity. The alligator’s champion, born and nursed in the saddle with the lariat and bola for his rattle, asked the captain, in an undertone, for the skiff, with permission to terminate the combat. This granted he soon gained a footing upon the mangrove thicket and in a few seconds the quick gleam of a machéte was seen, then with the accompaniment of a prolonged hiss the serpent’s writhing body fell separated from its tail. Relaxing the portion inclosing his nearly lifeless victim, he strove with instinctive energy to release his folds, but his efforts were vain, for the retractile power of his muscles had departed with his tail. Helplessly retained by the dead weight of the alligator’s body, the serpent seemed at a loss to account for the futile result of his efforts, for he continued to retract his bereaved stump, while investigating with darting head the progress effected by vermicular contraction beneath. The reviving spasms of the alligator increased the anxious rapidity of the anaconda’s movements, but as with the fabled flight of Samson’s strength shorn of his locks, he was held for sacrifice bound in the toils of his own instinctive intention. His helpless condition was aggravated by the guacho, who, after cutting away