THE SEXES. 229 



of the way of the ants, of which I had ah-eady very painful 

 experiences, and sat down on a faUen tree to watch. In about 

 an hour the ants had cleaned every particle of flesh from the 

 snake's skeleton, leaving it beautifully white and clean. 



A Terrifying Experience. 

 When out seeking for a Cheetah or Hunting Leopard, which 

 had been carrying off the farmers' stock in the neighbourhood, 

 my two Dutch friends and I cast ourselves down upon the grass 

 under a tree, for the sun was very hot. I was busy looking over 

 my notes, and my friends were meditatively smoking their 

 pipes, when one hoarsely whispered, " Hendrik, don't move ! 

 Don't move an inch, I say ! " I glanced at his face. It was 

 deathly white. Following his gaze, a shiver of fear crept over 

 me, for there, with its head and a foot of its body up the 

 other Dutchman's trouser-leg, was a Puff Adder. The other 

 man was a hardy old Boer, whom I had seen in many a 

 tight fix, but who never for an instant lost his nerve. He 

 silently, and with a swift movement, seized the reptile's tail, 

 gave a terrific jerk, and sent it hurtling a score of yards away. 

 Then he picked up his gun, sought out the snake, and shot it. 



Puff Adders vary in Colour. 

 Puff Adders vary considerably in coloration, although the 

 shape of the markings is always the same. The nature of the 

 surroundings seems to determine the shade of colour. The pre- 

 vailing colour is dull brown, with yellow and black markings. Just 

 after the skin-casting process they are at their best. The markings 

 are then bright yellow. A large female Puff Adder, which was 

 captured amongst some town refuse near Port Elizabeth by Mr. 

 J. Williams, had the usual brown ground colour, but the markings 

 were all pure white instead of yellow. There was not a trace of 

 yellow on the snake. Numbers of others similarly marked have 

 since been captured. 



The Sexes. 

 In the great majority of snakes there is no outward sign by 

 which the sexes of snakes may be determined. A male snake 

 may be distinguished by firmly pressing the thumb or finger on 

 the under part of the tail-region, two inches below the vent. 

 Continue to press firmly, and at the same time slowly slide the 



