202 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
A District NATIVE COMMISSIONER’S EVIDENCE. 
John L. Knight, Esq., District Native Commissioner, District 
No. 1, Natal, writes me the following interesting and seemingly 
convincing letter: ‘“‘ The individual habits and characteristics 
of the Black and Green varieties of Mambas are so distinct, 
numerous, and marked, as to leave no manner of doubt in my 
mind whether the Green Mamba ever changes and becomes a Black 
Mamba. The Green Mamba spends the most of its life in the 
boughs of trees, and I cannot call to mind ever having seen one 
on the ground, until killed. On the other hand, I have never 
seen a Black Mamba in a tree. 
“T have probably killed, or seen killed, as many of each 
variety as any person in South Africa, having lived in ‘ Mamba 
country’ practically all my life. I have killed, or seen killed, 
Black Mambas measuring about eighteen inches in length up to 
fully twelve feet, and the only difference in colour is that the full- 
grown creature in colour is slightly deeper black. 
“On the other hand, I have had the same experiences with 
Green Mambas, the latter, however, never reaching so great a 
length as the Black—say not more than eight feet to nine feet. 
In this case also the only difference in the colour being that the 
larger ones are a slightly deeper green than the young ones. 
“When both black and green have recently sloughed, their 
colour is brighter, and approximates nearer to the young of each 
variety. I have seen and had many cases of Mamba bite by 
both varieties come under my notice—the bitten consisting for 
the most part of natives, with a few Europeans, and also animals, 
such as horses and cattle. When the bite has been by the Black 
Mamba the result is almost invariably fatal. When by the Green 
Mamba, it is seldom, if ever, fatal. There is a somewhat mythical 
snake in Natal and Zululand, known to the natives as Indhlonhlo, 
said to have a feather in its head. Europeans believe this to be 
only a very old Black Mamba, whose head has become tinted 
with a grayish powdery pigment, which, at a distance gives the 
optical delusion of a feather.” 
A Durban lady, whose father was an enthusiastic amateur 
naturalist, and whose special hobby was the collection of specimens 
of snakes preserved in spirit, and who naturally was well acquainted 
