SNAKES 159 



head, which is Hkewise much elongate, is bright green 

 above, speckled with lighter, and with a black streak on 

 each side passing through the eye, which is large and has 

 a horizontal pupil. The poison fangs, three in number, 

 are strongly enlarged. When in a state of excitement 

 the neck of this serpent distends all round in a globular 

 fashion, revealing a number of irregular white spots 

 between the scales, which are invisible when the creature 

 is in its normal condition. In spite of its menacing 

 manners it seldom bites. 



Dispholidus, represented by a single species, D. typus, the 

 BooMSLANG, inhabits both Tropical and South Africa. 

 The snake, which grows to a length of five feet, is remark- 

 able for its large eyes, its long posterior fangs, and the 

 manner in which it inflates its neck when angry. On the 

 authority of an antiquated classification and the statement 

 of Sir Andrew Smith, in his work on South African reptiles, 

 the snake was until recently regarded as perfectly harmless. 

 Mr. F. W. Fitz-Simmons, director of the Port EHzabeth 

 Museum, a few years ago, however, reported a serious case 

 of the results of the bite of this snake. In November 1907 

 a number of Boomslangs were being transferred to new 

 quarters in his laboratory, when one of Mr. Fitz-Simmons' 

 assistants, who was carrying a specimen, was bitten in the 

 muscles of his bare fore-arm, just below the elbow joint. 

 It gripped with great power and held on firmly. Mr. 

 Fitz-Simmons disengaged the jaws and suggested treating 

 the wound, but his assistant would not hear of such a thing, 

 believing the snake to be non-poisonous. A short time 

 later, however, a throbbing headache manifested itself, 

 accompanied by oozing of blood from the mucous mem- 



