AUSTRALIAN SNAKES

Hokitika Guardian, 2 September 1924, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN SNAKES

A NEW V A PIETY. SYDNEY. Aujp. 21. One of the joys of an Australian visiLing the bountiful New Zealand hush is the freedom with which he is able to pinnee about the lout' crass and umlergrowtli without being eotistantly on the look-out for makes. Although life in the hush seems to generate a sort of sixth sense which utmost warns the htishman of the proximity of the dreaded reptiles, there is every year a toll of life. Only last .Monday a man's life in a country (ptarry was only narrowly saved after he had been bitten by the deadly tiger snake. Ilis males ru~l l si to his ad. an I while one sucked the wound ■ lid ellt il to cause a Ihiw t:f blood after applying a beat lire, others seeuivd permanganate of pota-h, always kept ul hand by liiisltuieu, and rubbed ihe crystals into Ihe cuts. This i- 'leirurkabl.y early for smd.es to he a*.out, as they are not usually out el Ila ir hibernation until about a later. and it is probable that the man lad dislodged it Imm its rest in;/. ;.Lt:o. (■’euerallv in Midi eases snakes ire ton sleepy to do til tit'll harm. The I'dsl deadly Australian snake is the dc.uh udder, il being estimated I ! -;it 11 ' l ll ;- per eeal ol ett:—s it - hues I.•-nit in death. Next euirvs the tip. r siial-c. with l-T per cent. The eoliinmn brown snake i' estimated to ivsuh in le.'ll in about Is per eeal ol ca-">. lie* peace of mind of people who have a hnrrnr ol -hakes is not enhanced I.y tlie nnuotitn cim-nt by .Mr Kinglcrc. a wvll-km.w n Sydney naturalist, ih.tl an entirely new veiioimms snake has l.« n discovered in Queensland. It is lei.c to ti ll feet in length, and its tail:;- ate in-arlv as loin; as the higlily-vcn-iatotis vipers and rattle-snakes ol other e.itintries. Alt! pit snakes are gcim;-"iv avoided, this is not always the i-'.se. The carpet snake of the Inxur om diastal senih in the norih. tor instance, i- frequent ly adopted a- .1 • 1 1 f of pel. Il prows anythin-; up to teen or seventeen led in length, ir not icmaimiis. and is inordinately li ml ol rats as a diet. One pr. dueo firm in Sussex street. Sydney, for ye.tr> kepi, a couple ol them ill their waiva 1.1 e at. the waterfront and rarely saw a rat until alter the snakes dted ol o d eve. This is one of Ihe largest ol Me Australian snakes, the largest. hein..; little known except in the Inr north if Queensland. 'this, the Queensland pvthon. prows to 22 leet in length.