Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-03-28
VICIOUS SEA SNAKES
THERE ARE FIFTY VARIETIES, AL OF
TEEN vENomoUs.


burhmaster of Africa. No serpent
ON Lnnd Kills 50 Quickly aud Ter
fiSiS as DO Those OF the Ocean.
Fearlessncss is one OF the most strik-
ing characteristics OF sea snakes. and
4 adds greatly 10 the danger that Is 70
De apprchended FROM them. for Il often
.cads them TO attack fishermen and
swimmers. and even 20 clin5 up tho
nnchor chains and through the hawse
holes and attack the crew. and as the
bite Of every one Of the Gfty known
varieties Is fatal there Is great fear felt
OF them in the ocean spaces which they
inhabit.
These fifty varieties are all classified
under the general title OF thanato-
phidia. None OF them Is able 10 live
anywhere except In ocean water. Every
variety and subvariety Is ms poisonous
as the cobra or the busbmaster OF Az
rica. Indeed. with the exception OF
these two land varieties. there is no
snake on land that kills 50 swiftly and
50 terribly as DO the sen snakes. Ow-
ing To their fatal weapons and their
ease AMI celebrity I'm swimming there
I are practically no enemies which de-
strOy enough OF them TO diminish their
numbers.
Almost all the thanatonhidia are
beautifully colored. even more gorgeous
than any Of the land snakes. with the
possible exception OF The coral, Grass
and carpet snakes. They are banded.
striped. specified and blotched with
green, olive yellow. blue and black and
present a most hrilliau; spectacle as
they arc seen swimming below the sur
face OF the transparent blue Of the Indi-
an ocean. When they arc swimming at
the ordinary rate OF speed they seem
To undulatc all over. They % not wind
through the water as the cel does. but
their l0cOmOion resembles shat Of the
caterpillar except that 10 is far more
graceful, and IS they move and twist
the colors play along thclr sides ana
backs % they 90 on the dolphin. When
they dash at their prey at fun speed
they move Ike am arrow. with their
heads and nCc.ls thrust straight before
them IL they are swimming under the
surface. or. II they are darling along
the top of The water with their heads
elevated just enough 90 clear the
waves When they are racing along
thus their sole ncans of iocom0tion is
their broad, paddle shaped tail. which
is peculiar 10 all the sea snakes and
forms the only striking difference be
tween them and the ordinary land ser
pent
IhiS paddle is used Ike a steamers
screw and h@s lmmcD-c power. Bent
sideways ID vill stop .lc snake immc-
ulatciy as % tic creature had anchored
suddenly. When doing OF resting over
reeIs. wh.cl cage common in the coral
BANKS si@-of hold fas, To thc rocks or
bottom with ,hcir broad tails and will
often sway in this way for hours in
calm weather
Men mag have recovered from the
bites OF taest sepcn;s. hut thcre are
certainly none on record. Most Of
their Victims are Malay ANA other ma
tive fishermen. and shore jewellers aud
phNslc.@ls rarely sex to see them.
STATISTICS are not kept in that part
ol tle world, so III is Impossible 10
ascertain now many are KILLED i'm this
way elcn year. Travellers say that
There Is hardly fishing village which
mas not IT'S tale OF death 10 toll.
Scientists once held 60 the opinion
mat inc deadiiness OF The bite was due
not TO the venom. like that OF the land
SNAKES, nuJ 10 some property that
caused blood poison. AIS does the bite