194 THE .SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA: 
and thirty-one hours after the bite, paralytic congestion of the 
lungs supervened, and carried him off in an hour, to the surprise 
of the assembled English, Dutch, Kafir, and Hottentot bystanders, 
who all averred that the Ringhals was not poisonous. I had no 
serum, otherwise I might have saved the man.” 
THE DEADLY MAMBA. 
(Dendraspis angusticeps.) 
IMAMBA EMNYAMA OR BLACK MAMBA: IMAMBA ELUHLAZA OR 
GREEN MAMBA (ZULU). 
In Natal the most dreaded of all snakes is the Black Mamba, 
and a report of one being in the neighbourhood sends a thrill of 
fear through people living in the vicinity. And well it may, 
for during the pairing season these snakes are very aggressive, 
and will at times boldly attack any one courageous enough to 
venture into their haunts. They often prowl around the habita- 
tions of man, drawn thither by the presence of chickens, rats, and 
mice. If attacked they will show fight, and so quick are their 
movements that the aggressor must have all his wits about him 
and be well armed, else the chances are he will lose his life. 
BLACK AND GREEN MAMBAS. 
There are two varieties of the Mamba. One is vivid leaf- 
green, the other is olive or brownish-black. However, these 
shades vary somewhat. I noticed those procured from the thick 
tangled woodlands in the moist valleys were bright leaf-green 
above, with a paler shade of green, or yellowish-green below. 
On the contrary, I noticed the Green Mambas, which frequented 
localities more exposed to sunlight, were of a darker bluish tint. 
A picture from the photo of the skull of a Green Mamba which I 
killed after keeping it alive for a couple of months, is shown 
elsewhere in this volume. The characteristic Mamba fangs are 
clearly seen. 
There is no anatomical difference between the two varieties. 
The Green Mamba is often confounded by amateur naturalists 
with the green variety of the Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) or 
the Eastern Green Tree Snake (Chlorophis natalensis). I have 
