206 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
The native, with a hoarse yell, bounded into the air, fell, 
recovered himself, and rushed away at full speed down the path. 
Making a detour to avoid the snake, I came upon the man, ten 
minutes later, in the throes of death. 
_ Naturally, in all cases death would not have been so startlingly 
sudden, but the man received a full bite in the shoulder-muscles 
by a large and vigorous snake, and running at such great speed 
the blood coursed with tremendous rapidity through his blood 
vessels, and quickly carried the venom to every part. 
Another day when out on horse-back, away in the wilds of 
Natal, I noticed a movement in a large tree overhead, and detected 
a Green Mamba. Moving further away, I sent a charge of No. 6 
shot at him. Down he tumbled on to the grass, but alas! my 
favourite terrier dog darted forward at the wounded snake, and 
was instantly bitten in the side. 1 quickly killed the reptile, and 
attended to the dog, but in spite of every effort to save his life, 
he died in fifteen minutes. | 
The Mamba does not deliberately take up a position in a branch 
overhanging a Kafir path with the intention of viciously biting 
some unwary passer-by. He is either there with the purpose of 
sunning himself, to escape from the terrible closeness of the forest 
air on a hot summer’s day, or with the object of watching out for 
ameal. These Kafir paths are much frequented by small rodents 
and forest birds, and it is these which the Mamba is anxious to 
secure for a meal. Naturally, if lying concealed amongst the 
foliage of a low branch, andif suddenly aroused from slumber, or 
approached too closely or actually brushed against, when he is 
lying wide awake, and intent upon watching for prey, the Mamba 
will strike. 
The stroke is invariably fatal, for it is received usually upon 
the head, neck, or shoulders. 
A favourite position assumed by the Black Mamba when 
sleeping, is a coiled-up attitude upon some twigs, with the head 
tucked away under or between one or two folds of the body. In 
this position it will lie for hours, relying upon its protective 
colouration to escape detection. At these times it may easily 
be approached and secured alive with a large butterfly net, if 
the branch should happen to be in a situation easy of silent 
approach, and sufficiently near to the ground. The slightest 
vibration of the branch, or the cracking of a twig will cause it 
