SEA SNAKES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 51, 23 May 1927, Page 14

SEA SNAKES

IN AUSTRALIAN WATERS SOME BIG SPECIMENS We need not worry about sea snakes —reptiles that are thought to caused severe pains suffered by batuer. in the sea at Beadon, in West tralia (says a writer in the “Melbourne Herald”). It is reported that scientific opinion supports the view that you * sea snakes, which frequent the w £ te ' of the south-western shores, attacked bathers, but were not bite them so as to cause fatal poisonAll the sea snakes are highly venomous and in tropic waters, as those North Queensland, they are abunozun. Victoria is practically free of t* l * p dreaded reptiles. Only one kina, t " yellow-bellied sea snake, so far, n been recorded: and its occur ren must be regarded as accidental. This species ranges over the P aC * and Indian Oceans: it attains a of two to three feet, has yellow sia and tail yellow, spotted or banded ' black and the back is dark brown black. • These snakes live in the s* s ** often are seen swimming lazil> basking at the surface. I have them along the Great Barrier 'Reel • * on a coral isle found scores of * snake skeletons beneath the great j of a pair of sea eagles: the birds been feeding their brood on serp-

fl e Sh! _ rr^f. Sea snakes feed on fish largest known species is so formia* that it might serve as a young j serpent”—its length averages feet. The young of these sea-dwe * reptiles are produced alive i n water. . far In some of the South Sea is*-** from fearing sea snakes, native c , dren are said to coil them their necks as living necklaces ana them as armlets, too!