Stridulations in the South African Egg-eating Snake, Daspeltis scaber, Linn

Abstract

MANY strange vocal sounds have been attributed to snakes, but none substantiated. At this Snake Park I have listened carefully both during the day and night, at all seasons and particularly at mating periods, and have never heard any sound other than a hiss. Just recently, however, I observed stridulation in an egg-eater, and have since confirmed this in other specimens.