little change for a long time appeared
to take place in the relative position of the combatants. This could be
seen, whenever they paused to rest themselves--which they did every two
or three minutes.

How was it to end? The kite could not kill the snake, for he could not
get at it, either with his beak or talons. The hold which he had at
first taken he had lost, in his attempts to save himself from falling;
and he was now unable to renew it, so closely was the reptile warped
around him. The snake, on the other hand, could not kill the kite; for,
although possessed of considerable powers of constriction, they were not
sufficient. It was strong enough to hold, and, perhaps, _squeeze_ its
antagonist, but not strong enough to crush and kill him.

Though each, no doubt, at the moment wished to be far enough from the
other, they could not separate with safety to both. The kite _could not
get away_, and the snake _dared not let him go_!

How, then, was the affair to end, in the event that no third party
should interfere? This was the conjecture of our adventurers, as with
curious eyes they watched this singular contest. The train of reasoning
was as follows:--

By one or the other dying of hunger. But which would starve first? It
was well-known that the kite could live for days without food. Ha! but
so too could the snake,--nay, more, for every day the bird could go
without eating, the reptile could fast ten; besides, the snake had just
dined--dined sumptuously upon the scorpion-lizard, that was now lying
undigested in his stomach; whereas the kite had not tasted dinner,--nay,
it was very certain he had not breakfasted either--and must have been
very hungry indeed to have attempted preying upon a blood-snake full
four feet long--for, as is well-known, his usual prey is the locust, the
chameleon, and the little green snake (_Coluber aestivus_). Under every
view of the question then, the snake had the advantage of the bird, and
would easily outstarve him. Thus, then, the affair would end, if the
combatants were left to themselves.

The young hunters arrived at this conclusion; and, having watched the
contest until their curiosity was satisfied, were about stepping forward
to put an end to it, when a new manoeuvre on the part of the combatants
caused them to remain still. The kite had got his beak close to the
head of the serpent, and was striking with open mandibles, endeavouring
to seize the jaw of the latt