120 SPEED OF THE ROCK 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 Rock 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 for- 

 warded to me by Captain Drayson, R.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, 

 etc., 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 vki 

 (lagoon), in which frogs and lizards abounded. 



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

 wards 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 shoot- 

 ing 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 toward 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 sad- 

 dle 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, induced 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." 



