Venoms: Venomous Animals and Antivenomous Serum-therapeutics. A. Calmette
Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Natuna Islands.
(17) L. borneensis.—Scales in 19–21 rows; 10–11 series of scales between the supraocular shields; 152–168 ventrals; 43–65 subcaudals.
Total length, 770 millimetres; tail 105.
Habitat: Borneo, Sumatra.
C. (18) L. wagleri.—Scales in 19–27 rows, 127–154 ventrals; 45–55 subcaudals; tail prehensile.
Colour green, with darker or lighter markings, black and yellow, or nearly entirely black.
Total length, 980 millimetres; tail 150.
Habitat: Malay Peninsula and Archipelago.
C.—AFRICA.
In Africa, poisonous snakes abound throughout the whole of the tropical and sub-tropical zones. The fatal accidents to human beings caused by them in this continent are fewer than in India, since the population of Africa is less dense, but several species occur, the venom of which is especially dangerous to life.
These species belong in nearly equal numbers to the Families Colubridæ and Viperidæ.
I.—Colubridæ.
The poisonous Colubridæ of Africa are all included in the Subfamily Elapinæ, of which the following are the eight principal genera:—
(a) Boulengerina. (b) Elapechis. (c) Naja. (d) Sepedon. (e) Aspidelaps. (f) Walterinnesia. (g) Homorelaps. (h) Dendraspis.
(a) Boulengerina.
A small snake 240 millimetres in length, the principal characters of which are as follows:—
Maxillary bones equal to the palatines in length, with a pair of relatively large poison-fangs, followed by three or four small teeth.
Head hardly distinct from the neck. Eye small, with round pupil; nostril between two nasal shields. Body cylindrical; scales smooth, in 21 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail moderate; subcaudal scales in 2 rows.
The only known species, B. stormsi, is brown, with black transverse bars on the neck; tail black; belly white in front, brown behind, with a black border to the scales.
It is found in the region of Lake Tanganyika.
(b) Elapechis.
This genus is characterised by the size of the maxillary bones, which is equal to that of the palatines; a pair of large poison-fangs followed by two to four small teeth; head not distinct from the neck; eye small with round pupil; nostril between two nasal shields. Body cylindrical; scales oblique, smooth, in 13 or 15 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail very short, subcaudal shields in 2 rows.
Six species are known:—
(1) E. guentheri.—Scales in 13 rows. Snout short, rounded; first lower labial shield in contact with its neighbour behind the symphysis. Internasal shorter than the præfrontals; length of frontal three-fourths of that of the parietals.
Coloration whitish or grey above, with black, white-edged cross-bands. Belly dirty white, brownish, or grey.
Total length, 520 millimetres; tail 50.
Habitat: Gaboon, Congo, Angola, Central Africa.
(2) E. niger.—Snout and arrangement of scales as before. Internasal shields three-fourths of the length of the præfrontals; frontal two-thirds of the length of the parietals.
Colour, black all over.
Total length, 420 millimetres; tail 30.
Habitat: Zanzibar.
(3) E. hessii.—Snout as in foregoing. Symphysial shield of the lower lip in contact with the anterior chin-shields.
Colour grey, with black cross-bars; a series of black spots on the sides, between the bars; large black blotch on nape; belly white.
Total length, 160 millimetres; tail 12.
Habitat: Congo.
(4) E. decosteri.—Snout obtusely pointed.
Colour, dark grey, each scale edged with black; belly white.
Total length, 380 millimetres; tail 38.
Habitat: Delagoa Bay.
(5) E. sundevallii.—Snout obtusely pointed.
Colour reddish-brown, with yellow transverse bands, the scales in which are edged with reddish-brown; upper lip and belly yellow.
Total length, 510 millimetres; tail 43.
Habitat: Caffraria.
(6) E. boulengeri.—Scales in 15 rows.
Colour black on the back, with narrow white transverse bands; head white, with a black streak along the parietal suture; belly blackish-grey.
Total length, 170 millimetres; tail 14.
Habitat: Zambesi.
(c) Naja.
(For the characters of this genus, see Asia, p. 33.)
Six species of Naja are found in Africa:—
(1) N. haje or haie.—Scales in 21–23 rows on the neck, which is dilatable, although slightly less so than that of N. tripudians, the Cobra-di-Capello of India.
Six or seven large supralabial shields, sixth or seventh in contact with the lower postocular. Eyes separated from the labial shields by the suboculars. 191–214 ventral scales; 53–64 subcaudals.
Colour yellowish, olive, or uniform black; belly yellowish; black or brown band on the neck; head sometimes blackish.
Total length, 1,180 millimetres; tail 290.
Habitat: Borders of the Sahara, Egypt, Southern Palestine, East Africa as far south as Mozambique.
Naja haje (the Egyptian Cobra) is common throughout the Nile Basin, the Sudan and Central Africa. Livingstone mentions it several times. In Egypt it is met with in the vicinity of ruined monuments, under the large blocks of stone or among brushwood.
The Egyptians are greatly in dread of it, and hunt it down as often as possible. When pursued, N. haje turns bravely and faces its adversary, raising itself upon its tail, puffing out its neck and hissing fiercely. If too hard pressed it strikes at its enemy.
“A friend of mine,” writes Anderson, “had great difficulty in escaping from one of these snakes. While botanising one day a Naja passed quite close to him. My friend darted backwards with all speed, but the Naja pursued and was about to attack him, when he stumbled against an ant-hill and fell flat on his back. This, no doubt, frightened the snake, which disappeared in a twinkling.”
Another case of the same kind is narrated by Waller, who writes: “A young girl met with her death in a truly dramatic fashion. She was walking behind some porters on a narrow path, when suddenly an Aspic came out of a thick bush, attacked and bit her in the thigh; in spite of all efforts to save her the unfortunate girl died in less than ten minutes.” This instance, which is absolutely authentic, proves the truth of the statements made by various travellers. Natives assert that a full-grown Naja invariably pursues either a man or an animal, however large, when either passes within its range (Brehm).
Snake-charmers, of whom there are many