THE ROBBER ESCAPING. THE QUAIL'S GRIEF. 



48 (6). — Continued. — {5) Having eaten the eggs, the wily serpent retires to the foliage. (6) The mother 

 and father quails return to find crumpled up egg shells. In illustration (7), the Cape Colony variety of 

 the Egg-eater is shown, in comparison with the Night or Demon Adder {Causus rhombcatus). The top 

 one is the Night Adder. Although they are both brown with black markings, the Egg-eater can 

 easily be distinguished. His body is not so flat or broad as that of the Night .Adder. It tapers more, 

 the black markings are different in shape, the scales are rough, and the iris of his eye is white, whereas 

 that of the Night Adder is black. Why ? The easiest way to find out is to open the mouth and feci 

 with your finger inside. If no teeth, it is a harmless Egg-eater. If a couple of fangs should stab you, 

 then it is a venomous snake. This bird's-nest robbing Egg-eater met with a violent end. One day 

 he got out of his cage, and a tame Secretary Bird gobbled him up like a worm (8). 



109 



