208 TIMEHRI. 
~ oil obtained from its fat, for the treatment of rheumatic 
and such like pains, just as there is also in the case of 
the fat of the ele€tric eel. The shocks from living 
eleétric eels are equally believed in by the East Indian 
immigrants as curative of such pains, 
Very different in appearance from the water boa is 
the common land boa or land camoodie (Boa constrictor). 
The body is crossed by a series of purplish or reddish- 
brown, irregular or bi-concave saddles, conneéted at the 
sides, and enclosing between them lighter oval or irregu- 
lar patches, which are usually emarginate in front and 
behind. Along the sides, arranged transversely, there 
are elongated or oval purplish patches with lighter centres. 
The head, too, is much more angular and wedge-shaped, 
and the scales on top are extremely small and fine, 
The general colouring is very variable in this species 
whether the individuals be young or old, being at times 
very dark and intense, and at others quite pale, indepen- 
dent of the brightness and iridescence which always ac- 
companies exuviation. These are the snakes usually 
taken for performances in menageries and circuses, but it 
may be doubted whether they are as suitable for the pur- 
pose as the water boas, which, when regularly fed and sup- 
plied with water, are altogether more quiet and sluggish. 
The largest specimen of this snake taken in the colony 
to my knowledge, measured just over 14 feet, but much 
larger are said to occur, a length given by one bushman 
being 26 feet, As the latter specimen, however, was not 
secured, the apparent size may well have been consider- 
ably larger than the actual. Snakes of from 8 to 12 feet 
are not of common occurrence, but they are occasionally 
met with, Smaller specimens are more common, 
ES 
