156 
ENCOUNTER WITH A SNAKE. 
clenly disappeared^ but not before the cause of 
the peculiar phenomenon revealed itself in the 
form of thousands of struggling, round- bodied, 
blue crabs, which were frantically endeavouring 
to hide themselves in the yielding sand, for such 
is the remarkable habit of Scopimera globosa. 
The wave-worn stones of tlie breakwater were 
23artly concealed by tangled vines, and the creep- 
ing stems of Convohmlus niaritima. On this occa- 
sion Ave had to do battle with a snake. AVhile 
Buckley was proceeding in advance, I observed 
that he siuldenly became excited, stopped, and 
beckoned, pointing emphatically right before him. 
Sure that something must be Avrong, I liurriedly 
rushed to his assistance, just in time to cut off 
the retreat of a large mottled snake as he Avas 
trying to escape among the tangled vines and 
boulders. A slight bloAV on the back arrested his 
progress, paralysing the after-part of the body. He 
turned fiercely round, hissing, and protruding his 
lonof, black, fork-like tonj^ue. We both belaboured 
the unfortunate reptile, and soon finished him. An 
