206 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



The native, with a hoarse yell, bounded into the air, fell, 

 recovered himself, and rushed away at full speed down the path. 

 Making a detour to avoid the snake. I came upon the man, ten 

 minutes later, in the throes of death. 



Naturally, in all cases death would not have been so startlingly 

 sudden, but the man received a full bite in the shoulder-muscles 

 by a large and vigorous snake, and running at such great speed 

 the blood coursed with tremendous rapidity through his blood 

 vessels, and quickly carried the venom to every part. 



Another day when out on horse-back, away in the wilds of 

 Natal, I noticed a movement in a large tree overhead, and detected 

 a Green Mamba. Moving further away, I sent a charge of No. 6 

 shot at him. Down he tumbled on to the grass, but alas ! my 

 favourite terrier dog darted forward at the wounded snake, and 

 was instantly bitten in the side. I quickly killed the reptile, and 

 attended to the dog, but in spite of every effort to save his life, 

 he died in fifteen minutes. 



The Mamba does not deliberately take up a position in a branch 

 overhanging a Kafir path with the intention of viciously biting 

 some unwary passer-by. He is either there with the purpose of 

 sunning himself, to escape from the terrible closeness of the forest 

 air on a hot summer's day, or with the object of watching out for 

 a meal. These Kafir paths are much frequented by small rodents 

 and forest birds, and it is these which the Mamba is anxious to 

 secure for a meal. Naturally, if lying concealed amongst the 

 foliage of a low branch, and if suddenly aroused from slumber, or 

 approached too closely or actually brushed against, when he is 

 lying wide awake, and intent upon watching for prey, the Mamba 

 will strike. 



The stroke is invariably fatal, for it is received usually upon 

 the head, neck, or shoulders. 



A favourite position assumed by the Black Mamba when 

 sleeping, is a coiled-up attitude upon some twigs, with the head 

 tucked away under or between one or two folds of the body. In 

 this position it will lie for hours, relying upon its protective 

 colouration to escape detection. At these times it may easily 

 be approached and secured alive with a large butterfly net, if 

 the branch should happen to be in a situation easy of silent 

 approach, and sufficiently near to the ground. The slightest 

 vibration of the branch, or the cracking of a twig will cause it 



