CRESTED MAMBAS. 203 



with the different species of snakes found in the vicinity of 

 Durban, writes me as follows : — 



" During our travels, we once found a mass of eggs of some 

 sort. Father, thinking they would probably turn out chameleons, 

 or something equally harmless, kept them till they hatched. We 

 watched the gradually darkening mass, having a peep every day, 

 until one day, on lifting the lid of the box they were in, out popped 

 thirteen very lively ' Black Mambas '—quite black. As far as 

 I can remember, they were about four to six inches in length. 

 My father knows a Black Mamba when he sees one, so do my 

 brothers. There is a black snake very like the Black Mamba, 

 but it is distinguished from the Mamba by its tail and shiny 

 coat." I have examined several of the black and the green 

 variety which measured from two feet to three feet in length. 



Crested Mambas. 



The natives of Zululand and Natal firmly believe there is a 

 Mamba possessing a feathered crest, which it spreads out like a 

 fan when disturbed. Many colonists also hold this belief. For 

 years I was on the look-out for a snake with some sort of a crest, 

 but in vain. Believing that most popular beliefs and legendary 

 tales have, or had, some foundation in fact, I was quite prepared 

 to believe that there might be a snake with elongated scales or 

 something of the sort on its head. Mr. H. W. Bell-Marley's 

 explanation is as follows : — " I am told by the natives near the 

 kloof that there is an old Mamba that has been there since their 

 fathers' time, and hves by himself, being most vicious. When 

 he is angry he raises his head and spreads a feather behind. For 

 some time I tried to find out what they alluded to, as it was a 

 common belief amongst all, and given me quite bona fide. One 

 day, when looking for some Sun Birds, I heard a rustling close by, 

 and was just in time to raise my breech-loader and fire at a 

 retreating Mamba. I shot him badly in the neck and head, and 

 found, although he did not exceed thirteen feet, that he was quite 

 black in appearance, and the scales behind the head, for four 

 inches down in line, had so grown together that they formed a 

 ridge or crest. Some of the scales were larger than others. The 

 Mamba was the largest I had killed so far, and the oldest, judging 

 by its appearance. This ridge of skin and scales was evidently 



