IS IT A SEA SERPENT? SNAKE FOUND NEAR THE EAST CAPE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 358, 10 April 1889, Page 5

IS IT A SEA SERPENT? SNAKE FOUND NEAR THE EAST CAPE.

Auckland, April 8. Mr Milker, of Tuparoa, ha? brought to Auckland and lef b at this office a horriblelouking reptile, which was recently caught by some natives on the East Coast ot the North Island. It is a salt-water snako about four feet in length, and was alive when first discovered. It was caught by the natives in a water hole about lourteen miles south of the East Cape. The hole is parD of a creek, and is pretty nearly dry at the present time. It is close to the beach, irom which it is I separated by a bar of sand, and the snake is supposed to have been cast up by the sea. When fiist seen it was alivo, but very much exhausted. The natives did not know what to make of the reptile, but they knew enough not to handle it, for its appearance was decidedly "agin " it. Th<3 snako when dead was placed in a bottle and pieserved in spirits. It was show nto Professor Thomas and he immediately identified it as one of the species known as il Pelamys Cicolor," a specimen of which is in the Auckland Museum. Professor Thomas s>aid this was the third snake of this description that he had heard of as having been washed up on the coaht of New Zealand. He had been told that one came ashore near Waikafco Head? and another somewhere on the East Coast. They are, he says, sea snakes, and live in the water, probably living on fishes, etc. They come ashore in swampy places near the sea, and do not get far inland. They are admirable swimmers, as may be judged irom the flat construction of the tail of the one now in our possession, and are believed to be poisonous. The snake now exhibited is no doubt a reptile which has come from tropical latitudes, possibly from the vicinity of North Australia or tho Malay Archipelago, and it must have made a voyagQ by wator of some 2,000 or 3,000 miles, Piotessor Thomas says further that these snakes would not live in New Zealand, in consequence of the coldness of the climate, and it is very pleasaat news to hear, for they aro decidely "uncanny." He says that there is greater danger of snakes being intioduced from South Australia in imported packages, and mentions the instance where an Australian serpent was found hidden in a wine case at the Ellerslie racecourse. Professor Thomas also spoke of some curious ! instances showing the immense distances that snakes had drifted. One instance re- ; corded was that of a boa-constrictor which floated ashore at St. Vincent, coiled round a, cedar log. In probably came from the coast pt South America, 2,000 miles distant, and yet it was so little injured by the journey that it killed several sheep before ifc was itself despatched. Those who are interested in the subject can see the specimen under notice at the Star Office.