92 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



bottom of the pond. In captivity they will seize and devour 

 live fish. In the neighbourhood of Port Elizabeth they are 

 common. We have a dozen or more at the Port Elizabeth 

 Museum which thrive well on their diet of frogs. They attain 

 an average length of about 2 feet. The under-parts are of a 

 beautiful light pink tint, wliich rapidly fades to a yellowish hue 

 when a specimen is placed in alcohol. 



These snakes when constricting their prey will often throw as 

 many as five coils round it. 



The Green Water Snakes. 



There are four species of Green Water Snakes, two of which are 

 common in the southern parts of South Africa, and the other two 

 in the northern parts near the Zambesi. In Natal these Green 

 Water Snakes are frequently mistaken for Green Mambas, for 

 although partial to water they are in reality Tree Snakes living 

 largely in the foliage of trees, since they are expert climbers. These 

 Water Snakes have long tapering bodies and large eyes. They 

 frequent marshes, ponds, rivers and damp localities in search of 

 frogs, which are their favourite food. They swim and dive with 

 the greatest ease, and cause much alarm to bathers by popping 

 up almost under their noses. They are perfectly harmless, 

 being quite destitute of poison glands or poison fangs. If one 

 of these snakes should capture a frog or fish in the water it swims 

 ashore, and holding its head some inches above the ground, glides 

 up the bank, and, finding a suitable place, swallows its prey. 

 The Green Water Snakes are equally expert at swimming, diving, 

 climbing trees, and travelling on the ground. 



I kept some Green Water Snakes and Boomslangs in the same 

 cage. One day one of the latter swallowed a Water Snake. 

 After about fifteen minutes I forced the Boomslang to disgorge 

 its victim. When thrown up, the Water Snake was none the 

 worse, and instantly glided off and almost immediately afterwards 

 caught a frog and swallowed it. 



The House Snakes. 



There are four species of snakes known as House Snakes, 

 classed under the genus Boodon. The Olive House Snake, and 



