The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-10-02
SNAKES IN SOUTH AFRICA.

pf-'hA' A-' 'Ds =. ~@T $seN~-' The Deadly Poison bitter That Huris
 venrm Thirty Feet-Tree Snakes and
 Pun Adders.
 The rattiesnake of America Is looked upon as one of the most dangerous Of reptiles, but on account Of its rattle it's intended victim can often escape. Not so. however, with some of the deadly poisonous snakes of southern Africa. In the thick bush and undergrowth Of the low countries on the east coast probably the most treacherous of Af- rican reptiles has its haunts. The ''renggaizslang" or ''poison-spitter" is an ugly looking black snake with light green rings around Its body. and Is about five feet long when full grown.
 Its method of catching It's prey is to coil itself up under low bush, and when n hare or bush rabbit or small buck, called a "dyjken." comes along. 1t will fasten its eyes upon its victims and without moving from Its coils will suddenly spit forth its poison. which striking the animal in the eyes, com pletely blinds It, and enables the snake to dash forward and fasten its fangs in its neck.
 While its prey is still warm the pol son-spitter will pull the skin and hair off In huge pieces. and then, crunching the body in its folds, will swallow 1t whole. This snake will often lie in an old road or path, and has been known to completely blind, almost at the same instant, pair of mules that were being driven along the road attached to a wagon. They can eject this poison and hit their object distance of thirty feet.
 Another terror to the natives and travellers is the "boomslang" or tree snake" It is about nine feet in length and from three and half to four inch es thick in it's middle. When in search of prey it's coils its tail end around the bough of short, thick bush or tree, and when a small "bleshok" or other small antelope passes under the tree 1t will drop on it, coiling itself around and around its body and getting powerful leverage with its end around the tree, will crush the animal into jelly. Af- ter the buck is dead the snake will roll it over and over on the ground. This has the effect of taking the hair off, and after covering the animal all over with thick slime, the snake devours it in mouthfuls. Unlike most reptiles of its kind, it does not swallow its food in one piece, but it will eat it all up in separate pieces. Then it goes to sleep for three or four months.
 The Kaffirs dread this reptile more than all others, as it looks so much like the bough of the tree upon which it hangs. Many poor native has fallen a victim to it while travelling through the bush.
 The well-known "puff-adder," also found in India, abounds in southern Af- rica. It likes to be near water, and is found chiefly near deep pools of muddy water, where it lies in wait for frogs and water-rats, upon which it mostly feeds. Its average length is four feet, and it has yellow body with black rings. It is the most venomous of all African snakes, but not the most dan gerous. With it's smaller prey it darts right out with lightning rapidity and eats immediately whatever 1t catches, but with larger animals that come in its way, or to attack a person, the reptile will stand on it's tail and throw itself backward, burying its fangs as soon as it strikes.
 When disturbed it will give chase. In such an event it is very difficult to get away from, as the snake throws itself backward upon it's tail.
 The natives of Natal and Pondoland catch these puff adders and, after cut ting out their fangs, release them around the kraals to kill the field mice and other small troublesome animals.
 Killing snakes in Africa has come to be quite a lucrative occupation, as the Colonial and Boer governments offer big rewards for all snake skins brought in. The well-knoWn Himpopot river explorer John Baikie killed over seven thousand snakes in one year. for which he received a sum of money equal to fifteen thousand dollars-NeW York World.