CAPE COBRAS AND RINGHALS. 379 



Stirring it well, I injected it under the skin of the thigh of a fowl. 

 The fowl died in four hours. Other tests ended similarly. Mixing 

 the gall of the same snake with two drops of the venom, I in- 

 jected it into another fowl. The fowl died in six and a half hours. 



Cape Cobras and Ringhals. 



I have demonstrated by repeated experiments that the venom 

 of the Cape Cobra produces inflammation of the tissues and 

 eventual death in those of its own species when the venom is 

 injected under the skin or when another of its own species is 

 allowed to dehver a full bite. Cobras which were forced to bite 

 themselves also died, but with adult specimens death did not 

 take place for a week, or even two or three months. 



For some considerable time we kept a large collection of 

 live snakes at the Port Elizabeth Museum. In one cage we had 

 seven Cape Cobras of the yellow and brown varieties. These 

 snakes ranged from four feet to six feet five inches in length. 

 One day they were stirred up by the introduction of a fresh 

 specimen and began to fight fiercely with each other. They 

 were all bitten, some several times. The bites were mostly 

 about the head and neck. 



Three lingered for a week and died. One lived a month. 

 The other three survived for nearly four months. During the 

 whole time their heads were swollen and inflamed, particularly 

 in the region of the venom glands. After four weeks the scales 

 were shed from the head and the inflammation increased. The eye 

 scales grew opaque and the reptiles became blind. They remained 

 in this condition till death took place — no new scales forming. 



Subsequent experiments conclusivel}^ proved that the venom 

 of the Cape Cobra was invariably fatal to those of the same 

 species, causing necrosis and death. Young specimens died 

 within a few hours to a day or two of being bitten or injected. 

 The adults survived for one week to three or even four months. 

 The heads in all cases swelled, the shields were shed and the 

 mouth became inflamed. Usually from two weeks to a month 

 after being bitten or injected, the eye scales became opaque. 



I conducted several experiments with the Ringhals Cobra. 

 On four occasions I allowed an adult Ringhals to bite the tail end 

 of another of the same species, after scraping away the scales 

 from the part. I also made two bite themselves and injected 



