Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-06-01
THE PUFF ADDER.
Some of His Capers Among the PEG
pie and Animals of South Africa.

/ South Africa is what herpetologiStS
call rich in snakes and especially in
puff adderS, which. on account of their
size, are among the most dangerous.
At this season scarcely a day passes
without Il puff adder incident being
recorded. And in consequence of the
towns spreading sparsely owed wild
districts, with detached residences and
extensive gardens, it is no uncommon
occurrence TO see a puff adder meander-
ing down the street" Happily. in the
majority 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
SchOOlbOy, near where | was staying
last November, was Investigating an
ant hill, and put a stick into a hole,
when a puff adder-an unsupported
occupant struck at and hit him on
the arm. The boy, u years of age.
was nearly mile from his home, WIFI
Their he fastened, sucking the wound
as he went. The wound was promptly
Scarified and ammonia was applied
but the poor fellow died in a few hours
The delayed treatment III this case ag-
gravated the danger
The reptile even gets into houses
sometimes, as do the cobras of India.
A gentleman, Mr.. J. 3. Bower, was
walking across his dining-room when
he felt something knock against him,
and, looking down, he found a puff
adder hanging on his trousers. 1t had
struck at him, but most providentially
the fangs had caught only the gar
ment. The astonished wearer, to shake
off the reptile, performed, as he after
ward declared, 1.-The most vigorous horn
pipe that ever was danced" until he
got free of the snake, which was then
quickly dispatched. Dogs become fire.
quent victims through their keen sense
of smell and their determination to
investigate. One splendid large dog and
two foX-terriers met with their death
last summer near Port Elizabeth
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 act
i've cobra kind, while the puff adders
are extremely sluggish and inactive
reptiles, which do not get out of the
way, but lie half hidden among the
heritage or among roots and stones,
with which they aSsimilate in color.
By their hiss they betray themselves
when danger threatens, and that is all.
A very remarkable circumstance Oc-
Cured 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 bedclothes and had no space for
action. The lady had pet cat who
was allowed to sleep in her room.
One night, when too much asleep to
arouse herself, she was yet conscious
of something lying 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 the
chair, where she had settled herself the
previous night and a puff adder was
in her bed Happily, these great deadly
serpentS are not aggressive and do
not attack unless provoked. The sleep
ing lady was also unaggressive, which
fact, added to the cramped-up position
of the intruder, insured her life.