DUELS WITH SNAKES. 31 



bitten by Puff Adders or Cape Cobras, or injected with their 

 venom. In every instance these animals died of the usual symptoms 

 of snake venom poisoning in from ten minutes to several hours 

 in time, according to the size of the snake, its species, its con- 

 dition, time of year, or quantity of venom artificially injected. 



A Grey Mungoose, which I had in captivity, once fought and 

 killed a Puff Adder. However, the snake, wdth a last expiring 

 effort, lacerated the lip of its foe with one of its fangs. The 

 Mungoose dropped the snake, retired to a corner, and after a 

 short time began to mope. It died in seven hours. Tlie reason 

 that it lingered so long was because a small quantity only of 

 venom had been discharged into the wound. 



On another occasion a Puff Adder was introduced into the 

 cage containing a Striped Muishond. The Muishond made a few 

 feints, then darted at the snake before he could recover himself. 

 Although the Muishond crushed the snake's head in its sharp 

 teeth, immediately the reptile was released it struck out blindly 

 and bit the Muishond with both fangs on the skull. The latter 

 retired to a corner and faced the snake, but died in forty-five 

 minutes. 



The Rev. Father Bruno, of Kolbe, Cape Province, informed 

 me that he and some friends witnessed a fight between a Cape 

 Cobra [N aia flava) and a Muishond. The latter circled round the 

 snake, who stood with reared body and expanded hood, after 

 the manner of all cobras when irritated. Eventually the snake 

 seemed to get bewildered or tired with turning round so frequently 

 and at such short intervals, for a cobra will never allow attack 

 in the rear if he can avoid it. Lunging forward, he failed to 

 recover himself in time, and the Muishond had him by the neck 

 and quickly shattered his backbone with its sharp teeth. As 

 in the former instance, it first ate the snake's head, and then 

 dined off the body. 



When in Natal I possessed an old Tom Cat, who was a mighty 

 Nimrod. He scoured the neighbouring forest nightly. When- 

 ever he made a capture of anything worth while, the old fellow, 

 who was a great pet of mine, came scrambling in through my 

 open bedroom window and, after placing his prize upon the floor, 

 he would set up a musical crooning noise, like cats do when tliey 

 call their kittens. He seemed quite pleased when I got out of 

 bed, lit the lamp, and inspected his prize. Many a time I have 



