i86 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



which bespattered the glass. For some time it was so fierce, the 

 assistant was obliged to be exceedingly careful when opening the 

 door to renew the water in the drinking vessel, for the snake 

 would either dart at him, or send a shower of venom in the 

 direction of his face. 



How WE Photographed this Ringhals. 



" Fine specimen that Ringhals is, sir ! " quoth my assistant. 

 " Yes, rather ! We must have a photograph of him before he 

 loses his fire and energy." So I summoned my snake photo- 

 grapher and departed one fine morning for the adjacent veld 

 with our Ringhals in a box. 



The camera was rigged up. We donned our goggles, grasped 

 each a stick with a fork at the end, and then released the snake. 

 Out he darted, and on seeing us, with a ferocious series of hisses, he 

 faced about and stood at bay. A magnificent sight he was, with 

 his glittering black eyes, shiny under surface, and fully expanded 

 hood. Then the fun began. That snake conceived a special 

 hatred for the camera. Evidently he considered it to be a more 

 formidable enemy than ourselves. He had often seen our species 

 before and watched them scuttle off when he reared and hissed. 

 The camera was an unknown foe. " I say, Ullyett ! I want 

 him taken as large as possible. No ! that won't do. Get 

 closer." "But, sir, won't he bite ? " " Never you mind about 

 that. We will keep him off." But we didn't. When Ulyett's 

 head was hidden under the camera cloth, the snake suddenly 

 dropped his hitherto raised head and body on to the ground, 

 and made a charge at the photographer's legs. " Look out, 

 Ullyett ! " I called. Ullyett sprinted back v\ithout loss of time. 

 Then the snake changed his tactics. Instead of maldng short 

 rushes at us, he bespattered us with his venom, which he sent 

 out in showers, finely sprayed. We did not mind, for our eyes 

 were safely protected. Ullyett was rather nervous after such a 

 narrow escape of being bitten. Every time he got his camera 

 near enough, the snake made unpleasant demonstrations. I 

 began to grow weary of it all. The troublesome thing was deter- 

 mined not to allow us to obtain a good photo of it. " Look here, 

 Ullyett, I have an idea. Just focus your camera on this spot, 

 and have it ready to take a snap shot." When the camera was 



