512 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



did not mope much. They ate and drank as usual, and were 

 as lively as ever after the first day. Some died in two days, 

 others survived for a week and eventually died. Selecting the 

 most robust fowls I could get, I injected into each three drops 

 of Puff Adder venom, as usual under the skin of the thigh, and 

 caused it to spread out by rubbing with a finger. Some of the 

 fowls died after twelve hours. Others lived for two, three to 

 four days and died. An average of one-half of those injected 

 eventually survived. 



Taking another lot of healthy fowls, I injected into each 

 four full drops of Puff Adder venom under the skin of the thigh. 

 Seven died after surviving for periods averaging ten to forty-eight 

 hours. Most of those which died were, during the first twelve 

 hours or so, rather dejected, but afterwards apparentl}^ recovered 

 and ate and drank as usual. The injected leg, however, was 

 in every case hot and swollen. Those which died were hens 

 and cockerels. Three large healthy roosters made complete 

 recoveries. After the first day or two they ceased to mope and 

 showed a disposition to fight and quarrel with each other. From 

 day to day the injected leg grew less and less congested. After 

 eight days all swelling had subsided, the temperature was normal, 

 and complete recovery had taken place. No subsequent sloughing 

 occurred at the site of the injection. 



Absence of Usual Haemorrhage. 



When a Puff Adder drives its fangs home into its victim, 

 the chief symptom is extensive haemorrhage in the muscle tissues 

 in the vicinity of the part bitten. This haemorrhage extends 

 up into other parts and frequently affects the various organs of 

 the body. Haemorrhage also often takes place into the body 

 cavities. In animals I examined which died after being bitten 

 by Puff Adders, the muscles for some distance from the site of 

 the bite presented the appearance of a soft, pulpy, bloody mass, 

 very similar to flesh which had been horribly bruised. It was 

 apparent that extensive haemorrhage had taken place from the 

 capillaries which supphed the muscle fibres with blood. Often 

 the whole limb was in this pulpy, spongy, red condition. After 

 death, when the flesh was incised, the blood ran out copiously. 



Strange to say, in all the fowls which died after being injected 



