SCHAAPSTEKERS COMPARATIVELY HARMLESS. 487 
division which distil a venom of a nature surpassing in its death- 
producing power that of the well-known Cobra. 
The Schaapstekers experimented with were the Spotted or 
Rhombic species: (T. rhombeatus). Although some other snakes 
are termed Schaapstekers, the Spotted or Rhombic species is 
the typical Schaapsteker of South Africa. 
SCHAAPSTEKERS COMPARATIVELY HARMLESS. 
Although it has been shown that the Schaapsteker has a venom 
which, in strength, exceeds that of the Cobra, it is not a snake 
which we need fear overmuch. The fangs are srall, and being 
set halfway back in the jaw, the reptile is obliged to get a full 
grip before venom can be ejected. The venom is not driven out 
forcibly by the violent constriction of the venom glands, as is 
the case with the front-fanged, typically venomous snakes. The 
venom is like glycerine in consistency, and the snake is obliged 
to press the fangs fully home, and at the same time compress 
the jaws forcibly and worry the flesh before a fatal dose of poison 
can be worked into the wounds. 
A Schaapsteker is incapable of doing harm if it should bite 
at a man’s leg clothed in thick trousers. Even if the sock be of 
average thickness, the chances of poisoning are remote. 
Bare-legged natives, although frequently bitten by Schaap- 
stekers, seldom come to any harm, for the reason that the instant 
the snake strikes and grips the skin, it is violently kicked off. 
James Williams, of Boomslang fame, has many times in my 
presence been bitten by Schaapstekers, but no symptoms of 
poisoning supervened. In these instances the snakes merely 
pecked and inflicted a slight wound with the teeth, but failed to 
get a strong grip and hold on. However, it must be borne in mind 
and not forgotten, that if an adult Schaapsteker should obtain 
a full grip and succeed in driving its fangs through the skin and 
be allowed to compress its jaws for a moment or two, it is capable 
of injecting sufficient venom to cause death in a man within six 
to twelve hours. 
Therefore, let all take warning and be careful how they handle 
these snakes. In fact, every snake of the back-fanged kind 
should be handled as carefully as those of the typically venomous 
front-fanged species, such as the Cobra and Puff Adder. 
