152 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



of ground. When alarmed they make off with great rapidity 

 into the nearest cover, or ghde up a tree and are instantly lost to 

 sight in the foliage. Sometimes they vanish down holes or into 

 crevices. On the bare ground or amongst low shrubs and grass 

 they can easily be overtaken and captured, but once they get 

 into the trees it is hopeless to try to fohow them. 



One day I was riding over the veld, when a Boomslang of 

 yellowish-green and black colour darted across my path and 

 took shelter in a small thorn tree about five feet in height, 

 sparsely covered with narrow, feather-like leaves. I could see 

 through the small tree quite easily, for it was only about three or 

 four feet in diameter. I walked round and round the bush, and 

 examined it up and down for some minutes without seeing a 

 trace of the snake. Then, starting at the bottom, I examined 

 every twig and followed each branch to its end. Eventually, 

 half-way up the tree, I saw the snake. Its body was con- 

 torted and twisted at exactly the angles at which the branches 

 and twigs jutted out. The yellow-green of the skin blended 

 perfectly with the leaves, the effect being considerably 

 heightened by its black, uneven cross markings. Approach- 

 ing within two feet, I eyed it for a time, and not once 

 during that time did it make the slightest movement. When 

 I attempted to capture it by putting a bit of string with 

 a noose at the end round its neck, it got angry, and sought 

 to intimidate me by puffing out the throat, making its head 

 look twice or more its natural size. 



After being captured and kept for some hours in a dark bag, 

 most Boomslangs will permit themselves to be freely handled 

 without showing any disposition to bite. However, if one should 

 suddenly touch the face or bare hand or arm with its nose, it 

 sometimes bites, and holds on till you forcibly remove it. If 

 handled carefully and gently, they will rarely bite. 



The sex of a Boomslang can be determined with some degree 

 of certainty by the colour. I used to think that the female of 

 the yellowish-green variety was not so j^ellowish as the male, 

 but recentty I have examined a large series of them, and find 

 them all to be males. All the chocolate coloured ones so far 

 examined have been females. Over one hundred of these have 

 been dissected at the Port Elizabeth Museum. 



In captivity, Boomslangs will readily eat frogs. Toads 



