POISONOUS SNAKES 113 



of the Sabi, but further north, and elsewhere, the banded 

 or Egyptian cobra is found in the Game Reserve, and the 

 dogs of a ranger, in killing one, suffered severely. It is 

 often quite impossible to restrain dogs from chasing and 

 worrying snakes, they seem especially terriers to have 

 no idea of the danger. 



THE CORAL SNAKE also belongs to the cobra family. It 

 is a very handsomely marked little snake about two 

 feet long, banded with orange and black bars. It appears 

 to be largely a tree snake, In examining the nests of 

 a big colony of weaver birds, which had taken possession 

 of a tree in the compound at Sabi Bridge, we found about 

 half a dozen of these snakes, apparently with permanent 

 quarters there. They must have fared sumptuously, as 

 they were all stuffed with nestling birds. They are of 

 course poisonous, like the rest of their family. 



THE SHIELD SNAKE is another poisonous member of the 

 cobra family, though, like the coral snake, it is not a true 

 cobra. It has a black head and neck, and a brownish 

 body with dark bands. I once stumbled on one of these 

 gentry while looking for some tools in a box, in one corner 

 of which he had snugly ensconced himself. He was, 

 however, considerate enough to hiss loudly, and so give 

 notice of his presence. 



The various species of garter snakes likewise are akin 

 to the true cobras. They are all brightly marked in red 

 or yellow and black, banded or spotted. 



CHAPTER XVI 



POISONOUS SNAKES : VIPERS : BACK-FANGED SNAKES 



THE PUFF ADDER. As it is its great quickness and 

 activity which render the mamba so formidable, so the 



BOOK III M 



