Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-07-27
THE PUFF ADDER.
Some of His Caper, Among the People
and Animals Of South America.

Some of His Caper, Among the People
and Animals Of South America.
South America is what herpetOlO-
gists call rich in snakes" and es-
pecially in puff adders, which, on &C
count of their size, are among the
most dangerous. At this season
scarcely day passes without a puff
! adder incident being recorded. And
in consequence Of the towns spread
ing sparsely over wild districts, with
detached residences and extensive
gardens, it is no uncommon occurrence
to see puff adder meandering down
the street" Happily, in the ma
jority of cases, the people know how
to avoid them or deal with them,
but, Notwithstanding presence of
mind and good courage, fatalities do
occur, says the Philadelphia Press.
An intelligent school-boy, near where
was staying last November, was in
vestigating an ant hill, and put q
stick into hole, when a puff adder
an unsupported occupant-struck
boy, II years of age, was nearly a
mile from his home, whittier he
fastened, sucking the wound as he
went. The wound was promptly scar
flied and ammonia was applied, but
| the poor fellow died in a few hours.
The delayed treatment in this case
aggravated the danger.
The reptile even gets into houses
sometimes, as do the cobras of India.
~ d
! walking across his diningroom when
he felt something knock against him,
and, looking down, he found a puff
! adder hanging on to his trousers.
, It had struck at him, but most
providentially the fangs had caught
only the garment. The astonished
| wearer, to shake off the reptile, per-
| formed, as he afterward declared,
1.-The most vigorous hOrnpipe that
ever was danced" until he got free
Of the snake, which was then quickly
despatched. Dogs become frequent
victims through their keen sense Of
smell and their determination to in
| vestigate. One splendid large dog
and two foXterriers met with their
beth through the bite of puff adders.
Though there are other highly ven-
omous and equally abundant snakes
at the Cape, they are more of the
active cobra kind. while the puff
| adders are extremely sluggish and
inactive reptiles, which do not get
| out o. the way, but lie half hidden
among the heritage or among roots
and stones, with which they assimi-
late in color. By their hiss they be-
! tray themselves when danger
! threatens. and that is all. A very
remarkable circumstance occurreI
at Port Elizabeth, where a puff
adder was actually in the bed of a
sleeping lady. That it did not bite
her can only be accounted for by the
fact that it could not do so. 1t was
under the bed clothes and had no
space for action. The lady had
pet cat who was allowed to sleep il
her room.
One night, when too much asleep
to arouse herself. she was yet con-
| sciotls Of something on her chest,
! but supposing it was only her cat,
she did not bestir and arouse herself,
but fell off again into deep slumber.
In the morning she saw puss asleep
| on a chair, where she had settled
herself the previous night, and
puff adder in her bed. Happily,
these great deadly serpents are not
aggressive and do not attack unless
| provoked. The sleeping lady was
also unaggressive, which fact, added
to the cramped-up position of the in
truder, insured her life.