cf the Bite of the Boomslang. 275 



The Experiments. — It now became imperative to demon- 

 strate whether the Boomslangs were really venomous or not, 

 as this case of Williams would not by any means be accepted 

 by scientific men as proof positive. Naturalists and others 

 handle these snakes and make pets of them under the belief 

 that they are non-venomous, and, moreover, in the public 

 interest this question had to be decided for all time, especially 

 so as the Boomslang is one of the commonest of South 

 African snakes. 



The following are the results of the experiments : — 



A large brown Boomslang was held by the neck and induced 

 to bite the bared thighs of three fowls in quick succession. 

 The first fowl died in 13 minutes, the second in 15 minutes, 

 the third in 3 hours and 4 minutes. 



A variegated male Boomslang bit the bared thighs of two 

 fowls within the space of one minute. The first fowl died 

 in 9 minutes, the second in 45 minutes. 



A fowl bitten slightly lived two days and died, the wound 

 oozing blood, and the mucous membranes of mouth being- 

 inflamed and congested. 



A variegated (greenish-yellow and black) Boomslang bit 

 a fowl on the thigh. I killed the snake and injected some of 

 its blood into the victim. No effect. The fowl died in 

 12 mitmtes. 



A brown Boomslang bit a fowl on the thigh. I killed the 

 snake and injected contents of its gall into the fowl, whicli 

 died in 11 hours. 



Another fowd was bitten and injected with the serum of 

 the blood of the snake that bit it. No effect; died in 

 14 minutes. 



A brown Boomslang bit a duck on the thigh. Progressive 

 exhaustion; slight oozing of blood in mouth ; rapid heart's 

 action; paralysis; death in 17 minutes. 



A second duck bitten by the same snake immediately after 

 the first one. Same symptoms ; died in 35 minutes. 



A variegated Boomslang bit a duck on the neck. Within 

 three minutes it fell on its back completely paralysed ; lay 

 still for another five minutes ; struggled feebly when touched. 

 Died in 19 minutes. 



A variegated female Boomslang bit a large cock fowl on 

 the comb. Blood oozed from the cock's nostrils one minute 

 after being bitten. It began to mope, then suddenly sprang 

 four feet up into the air and fell a dead mass, three minutes 

 after being bitten. 



These experiments were repeated over and over again with, 

 all varieties and both sexes of Boomslangs. In all cases 



