NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



are frequently found. While hunting amidst a 

 collection of town rubbish, in the shape of old tins, 

 bottles, etc., for snakes, I discovered a nest of a 

 Vley Otomys in a biscuit tin. On opening the 

 nest I found nine young ones already covered with 

 hair. The Otomys breeds several times in the 

 year, mostly during the spring, summer and autumn, 

 although it is by no means uncommon for it to 

 bring forth young in the winter months. It is 

 therefore apparent, if enemies were not numerous, 

 this species of rat would soon become a plague. 

 On the southern side of Port Elizabeth, what were 

 formerly sand dunes have been planted with a 

 species of Australian willow {Acacia cyclopia), and 

 for some square miles there is now a dense forest of 

 these trees, which are impenetrable by man in 

 many places. The seeds from the trees cover the 

 ground in great abundance, and are eaten with 

 avidity by the Vley Otomys which, finding an 

 inexhaustible food supply and ideal shelter, 

 flourishes exceedingly. A line of railway ran 

 through this forest, which is known as the " Dene," 

 for the purpose of carrying out the town garbage 

 in trucks. Wherever the garbage has been de- 

 posited there is a great collection of tins of 

 divers kinds. Amidst these the Vley Otomys 

 makes its home and rears its family. There are 

 serpents, however, in the Otomys paradise, for the 

 Puff Adders, Mole Snakes and Ringhals Cobras 

 concentrate on these collections of old tins, and 



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