38 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



Burrowing Snakes and House Snakes. j\Iole Snakes in captivit}'^ 

 never attempt to climb. Occasionally, in the wild condition, I 

 have found them basking in the sun on the tops of creeper-clad 

 shrubs. 



The snake whose natural home is in trees, such as the Mamba, 

 Boomslang, and Bird Snake, glides with tremendous rapidity 

 through the foliage, appearing barely to touch it in their rapid 

 flight. In fact, they seem at times to glide through the branches, 

 twigs, and leaves without touching them. These Tree Snakes move 

 by gripping the twigs, bark, and branches with the sharp corners of 

 their abdominal sliields, which are, in turn, worked by means of 

 the ribs and muscle attachments. The snake's body is twisted 

 in and out, under and over the branches and twigs. Snakes never 

 climb by coiUng round a branch as is often depicted in pictures. 



Puff Adders ascend trees occasionally, but only in excep- 

 tional circumstances. Sometimes during heavy rains their 

 haunts get flooded, whereupon they climb up the nearest tree. 

 Occasionally they make their home in a patch of dense bush, which 

 may perhaps cover acres of land. Being unable to get to the 

 beloved sunshine on the ground, they ascend the trees on warm 

 sunny days and lie among the twigs at the tops and bask in the 

 warm rays. Puff Adders frequently do this in the forest belt 

 known as the " Dene," Port Elizabeth. This forest is very 

 dense. The trees were planted by Government with the object 

 of fixing the drifting sand which threatened to cover up the 

 southern portion of Port Elizabeth. These adders cannot, 

 however, ascend a perpendicular tree trunk. 



Pythons are expert climbers, although they are usually of 

 such huge bulk. They follow the arboreal Vervet and Samango 

 monkeys to their leafy lairs and levy toll upon tliem in the even- 

 ing by lying motionless among the leafy twigs and darting out 

 with gaping jaws, like an arrow from a bow, when the monkeys 

 are passing on their way to bed. 



Snakes' Food. 



Snakes prey upon many kinds of living creatures, chief among 

 which are rats, mice, birds and their eggs, toads, frogs, lizards, 

 insects and their larvae. Many kinds of snakes prey upon other 

 snakes, and even those of their own species. Pythons, of course. 



