The Ferocious Snake Weasel
From South Africa comes a report from Dr. Raymond B. Cowles of a fight between a deadly reptile and a little known mammal, the inyengelizi, or snake weasel.
The habitat of the snake weasel, unknown in any zoo, is the Umzumbe Valley in Natal Province, where it is one of the rarest of carnivores. Natives either refuse to bring in inyengelizis or demand exorbitant prices for their skins. All parts of the body are used in the native pharmacopoeia and elders wear a narrow strip of the fur to ward off evil and bring good luck.
Little is known concerning the habits of the animal except that it apparently frequents burrows of subterranean animals in gardens, sometimes is ploughed up, and will attack and kill large snakes.
A reliable Zulu described to Dr. Cowles a fight between one of them and a deadly mamba about seven feet long. He said he had been watching the snake, basking in the sun in a coiled position. After a few moments a movement in the bushes caught his attention and he saw an inyengelizi cautiously stealing towards the snake. When within a foot or two the animal suddenly leaped upon the reptile and fastened its teeth just behind the head where it clung during the ensuing wild struggle. After a few minutes it succeeded in killing the snake, whereupon it relinquished its hold, performed its toilet, and left without eating any of its prey.
The Rabbit That Swims
Life history and habits of a swimming rabbit are the subject of a report to the American Society of Mammologists. The animal is the little known marsh rabbit of the South Carolina coast. It spends most of its life on the tidal marshes and hence, alone of the rabbit family, has become a partially aquarian animal. Almost strictly nocturnal in its habits, its ways of life hitherto have eluded naturalists.
By far the best known trait of the species is its liking for water. Individuals sometimes are encountered in day time far out in one of the coastal rivers. In summer when the water is warm they take to it readily. They seldom are observed, however, swimming in cold water.
In fall and winter the little animal leads a precarious existence. It is the favorite food of the great marsh hawks, continuously circling over the swamps. When Spring comes the birds leave for the North, the sedges grow tall so as to conceal completely the timid little animals, and they are left in peace until the frosts of Autumn.
Generally the marsh rabbit is a home-loving creature but floods in the fresh water area of its habitat sometimes force a migration. It is a natural swimmer. On land it walks with a swimming motion. Other rabbits are practically helpless in the water and try to swim with the hopping motions they use on land. The rare special type appears to be holding its own in spite of its many enemies.