120 SPEED OF THE KOCK SNAKE. 



Both jaws are thickly studded with these teeth, and their use is to seize the prey and 

 hold it while the huge folds of the body are flung round the victim, and its life crushed 

 out of its frame by the contracting coils. In order to secure its prey, the Eoek Snake acts 

 after the manner of all this family. It waits in some spot where it knows that its victim 

 will pass, coils its tail round some object, such as a tree or a stone, so as to give it a firm 

 hold, .and then, rapidly darting at the prey, it draws back its head, carrying the poor victim 

 into the fatal grasp of its folds. It usually seizes by the throat, and retains its hold until 

 the crushed animal is quite dead. 



The following interesting account of the Rock Snake of Natal has been kindly forwarded 

 to me by Captain Drayson, E.A. : 



" The Rock Snake is somewhat rare, even in the least populous districts, and, in 

 consequence of its retired habits and silent method of moving, it is not frequently seen. 

 Although on an average I traversed the forests and plains near my various stations at least 

 five times a week, I saw but seven Rock Snakes during a period of nearly three years. This 

 Snake retreats into rocky crevices, or amongst the most tangled brushwood, after it has 

 devoured its prey, which consists of toads, frogs, lizards, such as guanas, &c., birds of any 

 size, and even small bucks. Its bite is quite harmless compared to that of the poisonous 

 Snakes, and it destroys its victims by pressure. 



So cautious is this Snake to remain quite quiet if it think itself unseen, that on one 

 occasion I nearly rode over a rather large Boa, which lay on a small path along which I 

 was riding. On each side of this path there was a dense jungle, and there was merely 

 room for one animal to travel along it. I happened to ' pull up ' my pony to examine the 

 surrounding bush, when I noticed that his erected ears indicated that he had seen game, 

 he being a most accomplished shooting pony. Upon looking on the path before me I 

 observed a very large Snake, lying perfectly still, and looking at me in a very suspicious 

 manner. The reptile being partly concealed by the long grass I could not see whether or 

 not it was a poisonous snake, so I quietly ' reined back ' about a yard, and shot the creature 

 through the body. The coils and contortions were something terrific to see, as the monster 

 fought hard for his life ; but even the bone and muscle of a Boa has but a poor chance 

 against gunpowder and lead. A charge of buck shot in the head settled the business, and 

 cleared the path of a very disagreeable vis-a-vis. This Snake measured about sixteen feet 

 in length, and was in very fair condition, having a fine bloom on his skin. He had resided 

 about a hundred yards from a long vlei (lagoon), in which frogs and lizards abounded. 



A much larger Rock Snake was shot by me some time after this, and measured upwards 

 of seven yards. I once had an opportunity which rarely occurs to Englishmen, viz. 

 that of trying my speed with a young Boa constrictor. Upon returning from shooting one 

 afternoon I crossed the Umbilo river near Natal, and shortly after observed a coran flying 

 up and down in a very singular manner. This bird being very good eating, I dismounted, 

 and commenced stalking him, and approached within a few yards of him without being 

 discovered. I then noticed a snake creeping towards the coran, which merely flew on a few 

 feet and then settled again. The Snake again approached the bird, which, however, seeing 

 me, became disenchanted, and was making its escape when I shot it, and then turned my 

 attention to the Snake, which remained quite stilL I soon saw that the animal was a young 

 Rock Snake about twelve feet long, and, being desirous to obtain a live specimen of this 

 reptile, I ran to my pony, where on the saddle I had a long leather strap, with which I 

 hoped to noose the young Boa. 



Upon returning to the scene of the coran's death, I found the Snake making off as fast 

 as he could towards a clump of thick bush. Immediately starting after him, I headed him 

 after a race of about sixty yards, when he turned and tried another direction. I failed in 

 noosing him, and, finding that he would probably escape into the bush, I was compelled 

 to knock him on the head with a dead branch which happened to be near me. I believed 

 him to have been killed outright ; but upon conducting a naturalist to the scene on the 

 following morning the Snake had vanished, a fact which, combined with subsequent 

 experience of the Snake nature, induces me to believe that he was merely stunned by the 

 blow, and became refreshed during the cool of the evening, after which he retreated to his 

 stronghold." 



