276 Mr. F. W. Fitz- Simons on the To.iic Action 



death occurred within 20 minutes of the first bite ; tlie f-jwla 

 and ducks which were subjected to the second bite from the 

 same snake usually lived from 15 minutes to two hours ; 

 not a single fowl recovered. 



The fowls and ducks seemed to suffer little or no pain 

 beyond irritation at seat of puncture for a minute or two. 

 Within two or three minutes they showed unmistakable 

 signs of collapse, and with a spasmodic jerk or two would 

 suddenly expire. In some cases comj)lete prostration would 

 supervene five or ten minutes before death. 



A few higher animals of greater vital tenacity were also 

 experimented with, and the characteristic slow oozing of 

 blood from the fang-punctures was noticeable, as was the case 

 with Williams. The animals in every case gradually ^yqw 

 worse, and after about 12 hours were chloroformed, it being 

 evident they were slowly sinking under the potent effects of 

 that subtle, death-dealing venom. 



Some folks will regard these experiments as cruel, but they 

 were conducted in order that human life might be saved, 

 for in no other way could I have rapidly and conclusively 

 demonstrated to the public that the Buomslang is not only 

 venomous, but exceedingly so. I can go further, and claim 

 that the venom of the Boomslangis equal in its death-dealing 

 power to that of the dreaded Cobra {Naia flava) and liing- 

 hals [Sfpedon hcem achates), for I forced these snakes to bite 

 several fowls by baring the thigh and holding the snake's 

 head close up against the flesh, when in every instance it 

 would deliver a full and complete bite. 



In all cases I made the snake give a second bite to make 

 absolutely sure a lethal dose had been injected. Tiie fowls 

 all died in from five to twenty minutes — the average being 

 fifteen minutes. In every case fowls bitten twice on the 

 bared thigh by puff-adders {Bitis arietans) survived from 

 fuur up to twelve hours, some recovering completely. The 

 lUiijority bitten by night-adders [Causus rhomheatus) were 

 vt ry sick for a couple of days, then recovered, one or two 

 dying after twelve hours. 



It wnll be seen by the results of the above experiments 

 that the bite of the Boomslang destroys the life of a fowl just 

 as rapidly as that of the Cobra, and that the venom of the 

 puff-adder is in comparison very slow in its action and not 

 nearly so virulent. 



The reasons why the Boomslang does not always inflict 

 a venomous bite are two. The fangs are grooved and com- 

 paratively small, and if the bite is delivered through clothing 



