508 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
did not mope much. They ate and drank as usual, and were 
as lively as ever after the first day. Some died in two days, 
others survived for a week and eventually died. Selecting the 
most robust fowls I could get, I injected into each, three drops 
of Puff Adder venom, as usual under the skin of the thigh, and 
caused it to spread out by rubbing with a finger. Some of the 
fowls died after twelve hours. Others lived for two, three to 
four days and died. An average of one-half of those injected 
eventually survived. 
Taking another lot of healthy fowis, I injected into each, 
four full drops of Puff Adder venom under the skin of the thigh. 
Seven died after surviving for periods averaging ten to forty-eight 
hours. Most of those which died were, during the first twelve 
hours or so, rather dejected, but afterwards apparently recovered 
and ate and drank as usual. The injected leg, however, was 
in every case hot and swollen. Those which died were hens 
and cockerels. Three large healthy roosters made complete 
recoveries. After the first day or two they ceased to mope and 
showed a disposition to fight and quarrel with each other. From 
day to day the injected leg grew less and less congested. After 
eight days all swelling had subsided, the temperature was normal, 
and complete recovery had taken place. No subsequent sloughing 
occurred at the site of the injection. 
ABSENCE OF USUAL HA:MORRHAGE. 
Now, when a Puff Adder drives its fangs home into its victim, 
the chief symptom is extensive hemorrhage in the muscle tissues 
in the vicinity of the part bitten. This hemorrhage extends 
up into other parts and frequently affects the various organs of 
the body. Hemorrhage also often takes place into the body 
cavities. In animals I examined which died after being bitten 
by Puff Adders, the muscles for some distance from the site of 
the bite presented the appearance of a soft, pulpy, bloody mass, 
very similar to flesh which had been horribly bruised. It was 
apparent that extensive hemorrhage had taken place from the 
capillaries which supplied the muscle fibres with blood. Often 
the whole limb was in this pulpy, spongy, red condition. After 
death, when the flesh was incised, the blood ran out copiously. 
Strange to say, in all the fowls which died after being injected 
