DR. TH. NEUMANN. 93 



earth. We find them most frequently in the tropics, 

 where the largest and most poisonous snakes appear. 

 They prefer in general a well watered territory with 

 shady places and with abundance of food. Each lo- 

 cality has its peculiar kind of snakes, so that we may 

 speak appropriately of tree-snakes, water snakes, sea- 

 snakes, ground-snakes and even desert-snakes, all of 

 which have their peculiar organization and habits. Most 

 of the non-venomous snakes are of diurnal habits, nearly 

 all poisonous snakes, however, prefer the night for their 

 excursions. The former usually withdraw to their 

 hiding places when darkness sets in, there they spend 

 the night in lazy restfulness and reappear some 

 time after sunrise ; the other group, the poisonous snakes, 

 may indeed be found during the day-time, but near- 

 ly always in a state of drowsiness which disappears after 

 dusk. Then they pursue their principal business, the 

 catching of prey, and fires lighted by travelers in the 

 forests are particularly apt to attract such unwelcome 

 visitors, much to the disgust and dismay of the weary 

 hunters whose night's rest is gone. 



" You must know what it means," writes one, "to 

 have finished such a day of travel through the desert or 

 the prairie. From early morning until sunset we have 

 been riding and balancing on the backs of our camels 

 and endured the heat of the scorching sun ; everybody 

 anticipates the pleasures of the night's rest. At last we 

 arrive at the place where the camp is to be staked. 

 The baggage is taken down from the mules, carpets are 

 spread out on the ground, pipes are being lighted and a 

 tire started. An indescribably comfortable disposition 

 overcomes everybody, even the African cook who pre- 

 pares a very frugal supper, hums some native songs. 

 Suddenly he stops, and instead of words singing of 

 sweet love and charming spring time, he utters a loud 

 curse. ' What's the matter, my boy V ' 0,' comes out 



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