236 SNAKES. 



tions. In my foregoing descriptions I have culled from each 

 of these, and as most modern writers on this subject merely 

 reproduce from the works of Giinther, Cantor, and Fayrer, 

 I will keep chiefly to these in what further has to be said of 

 sea snakes. 



First, they belong to the tropical seas of the Eastern hemi- 

 sphere, and are most numerous in the Indian Ocean, where 

 they abound. The geographical range of a few is, however, 

 somewhat extensive, viz. from Madagascar and that part of 

 the African coast to northern Australia, the Bay of Bengal, , 

 and even to the western coasts of Panama ; while others are 

 restricted to certain localities. All are highly venomous. 

 They are wild and ferocious as well, and therefore peculiarly 

 dangerous, and are the great dread of fishermen, who 

 carefully avoid them. Accidents, nevertheless, frequently 

 happen through their being caught in the nets, when, from 

 their exceeding activity, it is difficult to disengage them 

 and set them free again. When out of the water they 

 try to bite at the nearest objects, and being dazzled by the 

 light, strike wildly, unable to aim correctly. Cantor informs 

 us that he has known them to turn and strike their own 

 bodies in their rage, and that he has found difficulty in 

 disengaging their fangs and teeth from their own flesh. 



Owing to the great danger attending their capture, and 

 also the almost impossibility of keeping them alive when 

 out of the sea, less is accurately known of the pelagic than 

 most other snakes. Even if placed in a large hole in the 

 ground filled with sea water, or a capacious tank similarly 

 supplied, they die very rapidly. Sir Joseph Fayrer in his 

 experiments resorted to every means in order to keep them 



