The Living Animals of the World, Volume II: Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Fishes, Jointed Animals, Molluscs, etc.
Snakes 593
behind which is a somewhat broader black collar, which is produced forwards and sub-divides the yellow one in the centre of the upper-surface. In the variety of the ringed snake indigenous to the South of Europe the collar-like markings may be altogether absent, or reduced to a small black patch on each side of the nape of the neck. The maximum length of the ringed snake is some 6 feet. It is a most expert swimmer, moving swiftly through the water with lateral undulations of its body, and carrying its head and neck well above the surface. Frogs constitute its favourite diet, but it will also capture and devour fish, mice, and young birds.
The VIPERINE and TESSELATED SNAKES, both European forms, as also the G-ARTER- and MOCASSIN-SNAKES of North America, are all closely allied in structure and habits to the familiar ringed species. The second British species, known as the SMOOTH SNAKE, belongs to the same group, but is more terrestrial in its habits; while comparatively rare- in England, and limited to Photo by Henry Dixon & Son] [Albany Street, N. W. the southern counties, it is plentiful on the COBRA (BACK VIEW).Continent. The INDIAN RAT-SNAKE, which is almost as useful as the domestic cat in ridding Showing the givenremarkablerise to patternthe nameonoftheSpectacledback of theSnake.neck, which has dwellings of rats and mice, is another representative of the solid-toothed group. This group also includes the so-called PYGMY SNAKES, inhabiting the Malay region, whose habits are mainly arboreal. They are the most diminutive 1 foot in length.members of their order, some of the thirty known species not exceeding
The typical TREE-SNAKES of the Indian and Australian region, with large eyes, somewhat compressed bodies, and colours of green or olive, in harmonious accord with their arboreal surroundings, also belong to the solid-toothed and harmless section. An especially interesting representative of this group is the so-called EGG-EATING SNAKE of South Africa. It does not exceed 2 feet in length, and is for the most part arboreal in its habits, and, as its name implies, would appear to feed exclusively on eggs. As a structural adaptation for this peculiar habit, the SpinOUS processes Of a PtotobW.SavUlt-Ktnt,F.Z.8.-\ imiford-on-Sea. number of the vertebrae QUEENSLAND SEA-SNAKE. project into the throat Sea-snakes have compressed tails, which tney use for steering. 75
of the World The Living Animals594
and are tipped with enamel, thus constituting supplementary throat-teeth. Normally this snake subsists on the eggs of the smaller birds, but when short of this supply has been known to leave the trees and rob hen-roosts, being able, notwithstanding its comparatively small size, tois split longitudinallydilate its mouth and throat for the reception of a hen's egg. The egg by the action of the throat-teeth, the contents swallowed, and the shell ejected.
The second or " back-fanged " group includes many exceedingly poisonous species. Among allies, comprising many tree-these may be mentioned the INDIAN WHIP-SNAKES and their frequenting species, closely resembling in habits and colours the harmless solid-toothed tree-snakes of the preceding section.
It is among the third or " front-fanged " group, however, that the most venomous species occur. To this section belongs the death-dealing COBRA, the yet more formidable HAMADRYAD^ the INDIAN CRAITS, the EGYPTIAN ASP, and the AUSTRALIAN BLACK SNAKES and DEATH-ADDERS. The COBRA-DE-CAPELLO, HOODED, or SPECTACLED SNAKE, as it is variously known, is perhaps the most notoriously familiar example of its section, being responsible for the greater moiety of the many thousands of fatalities that annually occur among the natives of India from the bites of venomous serpents. The craits, which resemble the cobras, but do not possess an erectile hood, are accredited a second position in death-dealing. The peculiar feature of the erectile hood that characterises the cobras is due to the circumstance that a certain number of the ribs in this region are independently movable, and can be elevated and depressed at will, the skin-fold that overlies them being loose and elastic. The back of the hood in the ordinary Indian cobra is usually ornamented with two eye-like spots, connected with a loop-like band, which communicate to the complete pattern the fancied resemblance to a pair of spectacles, whence
Photo ly II. G. F. Spiu [Etwlboai ENGLISH VIPER. it has derived its appellation- The only British venomous reptile. of Spectacled Snake. Individuals vary, however, very considerably in this matter of colour-markings: in some instances a single eye-like spot is alone developed, while in others it may be entirely absent. The COMMON COBRA grows to a length of 6 or 7 feet, dimensions greatly exceeded by the GIANT COBRA, or HAMADRYAD, a fortunately rarer form more exclusively confined to jungle and forest districts. This species-may attain to a length of 13 feet or more, and on account of its deadly bite and fiercely it inhabits, which includeaggressive disposition is much feared by the natives of the countries not only India, but Burma, Siam, and the Malay region. This giant cobra preys almost exclusively on smaller snakes, frequently including the common cobra.
A third species of cobra, known as the HAJE, or SPITTING-SNAKE, inhabits Africa, from- Egypt as far south as Natal. It is perhaps the fiercest member of the group, turning readily upon its pursuers, or even commencing the attack. It also possesses the somewhat
1 remarkable and disconcerting habit of ejecting poison from its mouth to a distance of several feet, usually aiming with considerable accuracy at the eyes of its assailant. Although unattended by permanently serious effects, the pain caused by the virus striking the eyes is for the time being excruciatingly painful, placing the recipient of the unwelcome discharge entirely hors de combat. The first record of the poison-spitting propensities of this snaker made by Mr. Gordon Gumming, was received with considerable incredulity, but the statement has been confirmed. A relative of the writer's, stationed in Natal, was recently the victim of
By permission of the New York Zoological Society.
AFRICAN PUFF-ADDER.
Horses die within a few hours of being bitten by this serpent.
Ey permission of the Aew York Zoological Society.
DIAMOND-BACK RATTLE-SNAKE.
One or more joints are added to the " rattle " each successive year. 595
The Living Animals of the World
such an incident, receiving the poison-discharge in his eyes from one of these snakes, which, in his eagerness to dispatch it, he had imprudently cornered, armed only with a sword. It was some days before the pain entirely abated and the sight regained its normal clearness.
Australia, with its BLACK and TIGER-SNAKES and the DEATH-ADDER, possesses snakes as venomous as the cobra, which the first-named species approach in their capacity to inflate it glides swiftly, as-their necks, though to a less degree. The TASMANIAN BLACK SNAKE, as though sailing, across open grass-land, with the midday sun scintillating on its 7-foot stretch of jet-black, highly polished scales, its head and expanded neck threateningly elevated some 18 inches above the ground, is certainly a most impressive sight. is that One very distinct group of the front-fanged section which demands brief notice of the SEA-SNAKES. These are readily distinguished by their especial adaptation to a marine existence, their much-compressed, oar-like tails constituting powerful propelling organs. In contradistinction to the terrestrial snakes of the same group, the inferior scales, not being required for terrestrial locomotion, are little if any larger than the upper ones. All the species-are highly venomous; they feed chiefly upon fish, and are distributed throughout the tropical seas. The larger species rarely exceed 5 or 6 feet in length, and the majority are much smaller. Many species are noted for their conspicuous colouring, which most frequently takes-the form of distinctly contrasting bands. All the members of this group are viviparous. The last and most highly specialised section of the Snake Tribe is that of the VIPER and its allies, collectively known as-the Viperine P'amily. In all the representatives of this group the hinder upper jaw-bone is so loosely articulated that it is capable of
! erection at a right angle to the horizontal plane of the skull, the gape of the mouth being in consequence abnormally wide. The teeth in the upper jaw are reduced to a single anteriorly situated pair of tubular poison-fangs, its prey, the snake, with which, when striking
Photo by j. w.McLeiian} (Sighbury. fa&\ s a direct stab. The head in the majority KATTLE-SNAKE. of ^he Viperine Snakes is flattened and tri-noted for The rattle-snake is pre-eminently and the smaller mammals. its power of fascinating birds angular. nearly resembling in Contour the is usually symbolic ace of spades. The body relatively thick, and the tail short and stumpy. The vertical pupil of the eye denotes nocturnal habits. All the members of the section are venomous.
The Viperine Snakes are usually divided into two groups. The first contains the Typical or Old World Vipers, and includes, in addition to the COMMON VIPER, the CERASTES or HORNED VIPER of Egypt, and the large and most repulsive and deadly African PUFF-ADDER. The COMMON VIPER or ADDER, the only poisonous British snake, has a very extensive geographical distribution, extending throughout Europe and Asia as far east as the island of Saghalien, and northwards to the Arctic Circle. The HORNED VIPER of the Sahara and North Africa is one of its headthe most venomous of living serpents. Lying buried beneath the sand, with only above, it will spring aggressively at any animal which passes by, and the action of its venom it usually dies within half an hour. In colour theis so rapid that a horse or man bitten by horned viper closely resembles the sand or stony wastes among which it lies. The most remarkable feature in this snake is the presence of two elevated horn-like processes immediately above the eyes, which are most prominent in the male. The species has frequently been on-view at the Zoological Society's Gardens. On one occasion an ostensible example was purchased and deposited in the Eeptile-house, which proved on nearer investigation to be a base imposition. insertion of suitably shapedA common desert-viper had been cleverly manipulated by the deft
Snakes 597
splinters of wood into its head, so that it resembled the rarer horned variety. The PUFF-isADDER, the largest member of its tribe, may attain to a length of 6 feet or more, and distributed throughout the African Continent. Its thick body is almost triangular in section, the head very large, flat, and bluntly rounded anteriorly, while the eyes have a particularly fierce, stony, and repulsive aspect. In colour individuals vary considerably, but there is generally a chequered pattern of reds, browns, and greys, disposed in the form of darker and lighter is nearly asalternating crescent-shaped bands along the back. The poison of this snake virulent as that of the horned viper, and is commonly used by the African bushmen for poisoning their arrows. its members is abundantly represented in the New World, where The Viperine group differ from the typical Old World species in sundry anatomical points, one of the most conspicuous features being the presence of a distinct depression or pit in the surface of the head between the nostril and the eye on either side. On this account they are distinguished by the title of PIT-VIPERS. Among the more familiar representatives of this group are the KATTLE-SNAKES, the FER-DE-LANCE, the BUSH-MASTER, and the COPPER-HEAD or MOCASSIN-SNAKES. All these are notoriously venomous, fatal effects from bites received by human subjects being of frequent recurrence. The KATTLE-SNAKES are especially distinguished by the peculiar, loosely jointed, horny appendage to their tails, by the rapid vibration of which, when disturbed, they fortunately give timely notice of their presence. In the young individuals this rattle is only represented by a single button-like knob, additional loose, hollow, horny rings being added between it and the scaly termination of the tail as age increases. In full-grown examples the horny rings composing the rattle may number as many as twenty or more, though, owing to the war of extermination incessantly levied against these reptiles in all civilised areas, it is rarely that such elaborate rattle-bearers are now met with. The rattlesnake, in the more northern districts of its distribution, hibernates in the winter, often congregating together in great numbers for the sake of the mutual warmth. In the earlier days certain caves were famous as the retreats into which not only hundreds but thousands of the reptiles would congregate from the country round for their winter's slumber. At such times hunting-parties were specially organised for their wholesale destruction, and accomplished much towards reducing their ranks to their present numbers.