CHAPTER XIV 



AFRICAN REPTILES AND BIRDS 



Africa has not nearly as many reptiles as India and 

 the Malayan Islands, although some of the largest and 

 most poisonous snakes also inhabit the Dark Continent. 

 Of all these, none is more dreaded than the puff adder. 

 This deadly reptile is spread almost all over Africa, and 

 is everywhere much feared and shunned by the natives. 

 The puff adder has gotten its name from the fact that it 

 is able to draw in a very large amount of air at one time, 

 which causes a noticeable swelling of the body, and when 

 it then suddenly lets the air escape it rushes out with a 

 queer puffing or hissing sound, which may be heard for 

 quite some distance. 



It is a most hideous-looking creature, with a com- 

 paratively thick and short body and a broad, flat, triangu- 

 lar head, which is more clearly defined from the rest of 

 the body than in most of the other snakes. Over the eyes 

 and nose this repulsive-looking creature has a sort of horny 

 shield, studded with straight-outstanding hard points. 

 The nostrils are very small and, curiously enough, open 

 straight upward, and very close to the wide mouth with 

 its deadly fangs. The whole body is covered with com- 

 paratively large scales, which overlap each other like 

 pointed shingles. The color is arranged in almost V- 



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