4390 THE ZooLocist—APRIL, 1875. 
Although frequently met with in this country as well as a great 
number of other snakes, it is not so alarmingly common as most 
new comers seem to imagine: it is quite amusing to see how care- 
fully at first they pick their steps amongst the long grass—almost 
afraid to put their feet to the ground for fear of treading on some 
dangerous reptile; they soon, however, become accustomed to the 
country, and know how little real danger there is. Snakes are 
naturally of a timid disposition, and endeavour as much as possible 
to keep out of the way: it is astonishing how few accidents happen 
in a country where they abound like Natal. The puff-adder is a 
short thick snake, rarely exceeding two feet inlength. This snake 
is certainly the most dangerous, owing to its sluggish habits. We 
have heard of instances of people treading on these reptiles. A 
friend of ours, not long ago, was going up to his house, followed by 
a native, when he suddenly heard the man exclaim, in tones of 
horror, “ Wow wow mamee!” On looking round, he found that 
he had trodden upon a puff-adder, but most providentially had 
stepped on its head, which was completely crushed, the reptile 
being quite dead. He quietly told the Kafir that this was-the way 
he always treated such venomous auimals, which made him think 
our friend possessed supernatural power. ‘This morning on going 
down to pick “granadillas” (the fruit of the passion-flower), we 
found a large puff-adder hidden among the foliage. When killed 
it measured three feet, the circumference of its body being about 
that of a man’s wrist. 
It is generally thought that the poison of snakes has no effect if 
taken internally; but in the year 1870 D. W. lost two dogs 
(a retriever and a collie) in a remarkable manner. He was sur- 
prised one morning to find them in dreadful convulsions, which 
soon ended in death. On dissecting them it appeared that they 
had swallowed some snakes that had been preserved ‘in spirits, and 
had been thrown out the day previous. One of these was a black 
water-snake, and the other was a small snake known here as the 
“ death-adder,” with markings very similar to those of the puff- 
adder. It is also the general idea among the natives that snake- 
poison will destroy life if swallowed. 
Many people still doubt whether serpents really have the power 
of fascinating other animals, but, judging from our own experience, 
we should say this was a fact. One day about two years ago, on 
entering our house, we saw a formidable-looking adder in the 
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