HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
13 
fluid and become inozensive. Before this forage 
is given to animals, it should be beaten or 
shaken. The analysis of green nettle has given : 
Protein, 12.8%; fatty matter, 4.9%; carbohydrate, 
30%; a result which places this neglected foodstuff 
on a level with the best lucernes when dry. Nettle 
hay is, then, a rich food. 
Made into fine meal and mixed with chopped 
food and potatoes, nettle suits hens well and en- 
courages their laying. This food is good for milch 
cows, provided it does not exceed a quarter, in 
weight, of the ration; for pigs, mixed with chopped 
food and potatoes, etc. 
With regard to nettle hay, it is a good idea 
to steep it in hot or salted water and give the tea 
thus made to animals, which drink it readily. 
An excellent precaution to take would be to 
store up nettles dried like hay for use this winter 
in feeding all sorts of animals, including rabbits. 
For hens, ducks, and early broods, these 
would be a valuable stand-by, to be given chopped 
fine and mixed with the mashes. 
SOUTH AFRICAN NEWS. 
By John D. Hamlyn. 
I have received the following cuttings by the 
last mail. They will doubtless interest mv readers. 
A SNAKE PARK. 
At the last monthly meeting of the Port Eliza- 
beth Museum Committee the Director brought up 
the subject of a live snake park. He had dis- 
cussed the scheme in detail with Mr. Siemerink 
who was of opinion that it could be carried out 
efficiently and effectively. The scheme is to en- 
close a space in the gardens 60ft. by 40ft., more 
or less, with a concrete wall 4ft. high and a moat 
3ft. wide on the inner side. There would be a 
pond full of water lilies and other native vegeta- 
tion in the centre, and natty little semi-circular 
straw snake huts dotted about within the enclo- 
sure. The scheme has been very carefully thought 
out so that large numbers of snakes may be kept 
within the enclosure with absolutely no risk to 
visitors. Such a snake park would be unique. 
There si no such thing in any part of the world. 
The Director held that next to Humewood it would 
be the city's greatest attraction. The main stoep 
of the tea-room would overlook the snake park 
so that people could watch the live snakes while 
they were having their refreshment. 
The scheme met with the unanimous approval 
of the Board, and proper plans and tenders for 
the work are to be laid on the table at the next 
meeting. 
HORSE SICKNESS. 
Horse-sickness has made its appearance here 
(says the " Graaff-Reinet Advertiser"), Mr. Den- 
ham Collett, Rynheath, reports the loss of one 
horse, and that another is sickening. The pound- 
master, Mr. W. J. Haarhoff, has also, we learn, 
lost a valuable animal. A useful preventive, we 
are told, is to rub the horse all over with a rag 
dipped in paraffin, and to burn sulphur, or even 
dung, jn the stable. The object is to drive off the 
mosquitoes, which are said to be the carriers of 
infection. 
A Kuruman correspondent writes : — " I should 
think the losses in this district from horse-sickness 
this season must total 600, and 1,000 to 1,500 
sheep from blue-tongue." 
MANHAAR JACKALS AND WILD CATS IN 
LANGBERG. 
At the last meeting of the Langberg Farmers' 
Association it was decided to make a request for 
for police owing to the increasing number of 
stock thefts, and to make a request for the ap- 
pointment of a field-cornet at or near Oliphant's 
Hoek. It was decided to ask the Divisional 
Council to include the manhaar jackal and wild 
cat in the vermin list. 
[The manhaar jackal is another name for the 
Aard Wolf, a most interesting little ani- 
mal. — Ed.] 
The following birds have been removed from 
the schedule of ordinary game of the Natal Game 
Ordinance, 1912, and have been added to the sche- 
dule of Act 33, 1896 (Natal) :— Black-throated 
Bustard, Ludwig's Bustard, Stanley Bustard, 
Giant or Kori Bustard, Black-bellied or Silent 
Bustard, Natal Bustard, Red-crested Bustard, 
White-quilled or Cackling Bustard, Blue Bustard. 
The Rusape correspondent of the " Rhodesia 
Herall" reports that Mr. E. W. Pope has had a 
very near escape from a black mamba. He was 
travelling from his farm along the Rusape road 
with Mr. Sutherland, in a utility cart when, with- 
out any warning, a large black mamba struck at 
him through the wheel; luckily the revolution of 
the wheel spoilt the snake's aim, and instead of 
hitting Mr. Pope the snake became entangled in 
the wheel, and after being turned round some half 
dozen times, escaped. Mr. Pope then shot it; it 
measured over 6ft. The snake had several times 
made an attempt to attack carts and natives before 
this. 
DESTRUCTION OF WILD CATS. 
With reference to my letter published by you 
some weeks ago, I have to thank " Meuw Meuw" 
for letter direct, in which he advised strychnine 
