160 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
I could warn him it had bitten his hand, but I instantly ligatured 
his arm, scarified the wound, rubbed in permanganate of potash, 
and injected serum. He recovered. 
This species of Sea Snake is black above, and bright yellow 
beneath, the two colours being distinctly separated—the line of 
demarcation being very pronounced. Some specimens have a 
profusion of black spots over the abdomen, and the tail is mottled 
whitish and black. The average length is two feet to two feet 
six inches. 
The poison apparatus of all the Sea Serpents is highly special- 
ized, like that of the Cobra. 
I have frequently found these snakes cast upon the shore of 
Algoa Bay, or in pools left amongst the rocks by the outgoing 
tide. They have also been recorded from Durban Bay, Simons- 
town, False Bay, and Table Bay. I have several times tried to 
keep these snakes alive in an aquarium, but they always died 
after a few days. I have no doubt, however, that they would 
live and thrive in a properly constructed aquarium if the water 
was kept at about the temperature they are accustomed to. 
Hydrus platurus is divided into seven varieties, owing to the 
differences in colouration in the different localities it inhabits. 
The one marked Variety E, is the kind we find at Algoa Bay. 
_ THE PROTEROGLYPHA OR FRONT-FANGED SNAKES. 
COBRAS, MAMBAS, CORAL SNAKES, GARTER SNAKES, 
Ere: 
SUB-FAMILY—ELAPINZ. 
This important sub-family of Colubrine snakes include the 
most dreaded of all snakes, viz., the Cobras and Mambas. 
There are about one hundred and forty species known, which 
are scattered over the Southern part of North America, Central 
and South America, Africa and Southern Asia to Australia. 
These highly-venomous snakes belong to the division known as 
the Proteroglypha, having fangs set in the front part of the upper 
jaw, in the bones known as the anterior maxillary bones. The 
fangs are usually deeply grooved or channelled. In some cases 
the sides of the grooves show a tendency to unite and form 
