diff --git a/pymongo/collection.py b/pymongo/collection.py
index ee8f9fb62..035c15aa1 100644
--- a/pymongo/collection.py
+++ b/pymongo/collection.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class Collection(object):
         message = _ZERO
         message += bson._make_c_string(self.full_name())
         message += data
-        return self.__database.connection().send_message(operation, message)
+        return self.__database.connection()._send_message(operation, message)
 
     def database(self):
         return self.__database
diff --git a/pymongo/connection.py b/pymongo/connection.py
index 287627a5d..5409c17f0 100644
--- a/pymongo/connection.py
+++ b/pymongo/connection.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class Connection(object):
                                     (self.__host, self.__port,
                                      traceback.format_exc()))
 
-    def send_message(self, operation, data):
+    def _send_message(self, operation, data):
         """Say something to Mongo.
 
         Raises ConnectionFailure if the message cannot be sent. Returns the
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class Connection(object):
 
         return self.__id - 1
 
-    def receive_message(self, operation, request_id):
+    def _receive_message(self, operation, request_id):
         """Receive a message from Mongo.
 
         Returns the message body. Asserts that the message uses the given opcode
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class Connection(object):
         message += struct.pack("<i", len(cursor_ids))
         for cursor_id in cursor_ids:
             message += struct.pack("<q", cursor_id)
-        self.send_message(2007, message)
+        self._send_message(2007, message)
 
     def __database_info(self):
         """Get a dictionary of (database_name: size_on_disk).
diff --git a/pymongo/cursor.py b/pymongo/cursor.py
index 56657dbd3..bc2ff4529 100644
--- a/pymongo/cursor.py
+++ b/pymongo/cursor.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class Cursor(object):
         def send_message(operation, message):
             # TODO the send and receive here should be synchronized...
             request_id = self.__collection._send_message(operation, message)
-            response = self.__collection.database().connection().receive_message(1, request_id)
+            response = self.__collection.database().connection()._receive_message(1, request_id)
 
             response_flag = struct.unpack("<i", response[:4])[0]
             if response_flag == 1: