PYTHON, a genus of serpents of the family boidcs (see BoA), differing from the true boas in having the plates on the under surface of the tail double. The tip of the muzzle is plated; the lips are grooved. The species are all natives of the old world. They are all large; some of them very large, and rivaled in size by no serpents except the boas of America. The name boa is often popularly given to the pythons, and in its ancient use belongs to them. Some of the pythons are known in the East Indies by the name of Rom SNAKE, as P. inolurus, a species very extensively diffused. This name is given to some species which belong to the genus or subgenus lwrtutia, one of which, the NATAL ROCK SNAKE (II. Eratalensl's),is said to attain so large a size that its body is as thick as that of a man. Although a native of Natal, it is already unknown in the settled parts of the colony. Python reticulatus is probably the largest snake of India and Ceylon. It is found also in more eastern regions. What size it attains is not well known. Specimens of 15 or 20 ft. long are common, but it certainly attains a much larger size. It seems to be this snake which is sometimes called ANACONDA. It is rather brilliantly colored. its body being covered with gold and black, finely intermixed. The forehead is marked by a longitudinal brown stripe. Although sluggish for some time after a repast, it is at other times very active, and easily scales the highest garden walls. It feeds on deer and
smaller but the largest pythons are said to seize buffaloes, tigers, and even ele phants, and to crush them in their coils. In this there is perhaps some exaggeration; but there are well-authenticated stories of snakes in the East Indies quite capable of killing at least the buffalo and the tiger (see My Indian Journal, by ool. Walter Camp bell; Edin. 1864, pp. 126, 127).
PVC (Gr. pyzis, a box, properly of boxwood), the sacred vessel used in the Catholic, church to contain the consecrated eucharistic elements, which are preserved after con secration, whether for the communion of the sick or for the adoration of the faithful in the churches. Its form has varied very much at different times. Anciently it was some times of the form of a dove, which was hung suspended over the altar. More com monly, however, it was, as its name implies, a simple box, generally of the precious metals, or, at least, of metal plated with goldor silver. At present, the pyx is commonly cup-shaped, with a close-fitting cover of the same material. The interior is ordered to be of gold, or at least plated with gold. Like all the other sacred utensils connected with the administration of the eucharist, it must be blessed by a bishop, or a priest delegated by a bishop.