BERG BOOMSLANG. 155 



authors as non-venomous, and others as only very slightly 

 venomous. Now, the fact of the Boomslang liaving been proved 

 to be very highly venomous sliows that at least one of this class 

 of Hind-fangcd snakes possesses highly-specialised venom capable 

 of destroying human life, therefore it is reasonable to assume a 

 good many of the others would be found, on investigation, to 

 be equally venomous. Until each individual snake of this class 

 has been carefully experimented with, it would be unwise to lead 

 the pubhc to infer they are only venomous to a very slight 

 degree, so slight as to be practicaUy harmless to man and the 

 larger animals. Tliis opens up a wide field for experimental 

 work, for there are over three hundred species of the Back- 

 fanged Division of Snakes in the various snake-infested countries. 



Berg Boomslang. 

 There is a Boomslang which is found on the treeless mountains 

 in Somerset East District of the Cape. It is larger and more 

 brilliant in colour than the others which inhabit the bushlands. 

 It is often encountered a mile and even two miles away from 

 bushlands or wooded kloofs. Mr. Athol Brown tells me it is 

 rather aggressive, and he has known it to attack natives and 

 stock animals. One of these snakes attacked and bit two goats. 

 They died in eighteen and twenty-four hours respectively. Both 

 animals were bitten high up on the back legs. Mr. Brown shot 

 one of these Berg Boomslangs which measured nine feet. They 

 prefer the long grass, but are sometimes seen in very short grass 

 on the hills and mountains. 



