Temperature

Sea Snakes Killed By Reef

Prom Our Own Correspondent MANGAIA, February.

AGAIN this year the Mangaia “beach combers” of the seaward villages, searching the reef-pools for small fish, have had their expectations agree ably fulfilled by something better. The phenomenon known locally as “tua,” which appears to be a heating of the reef-pools, in bright sunshine, beyond their usual temperature, resulted in the death of many “kerekere,” or spotted sea-snakes, which floated lifeless on the surface of the pools in gratifying numbers.

Other fish do not seem to be affected by the increased temperature of the sea water, for it is only the snakes that suc cumb when there is a “tua.”

The local sea-snake is good eating, and when obtained thus easily, is hailed by villagers with appreciation. Under normal conditions it lives in a hole in the coral and has to be enticed out with a small hook on the end of a palm-frond rib, suitably baited.

The angling entails submergence for the fisher, who generally wears a pair of locally-made water-goggles, and he may be rewarded with a nasty bite from the “kerekere” if he is rash enough to get a finger within reach. These snakes are not venomous.

It would be interesting to know to what extent the reef-pools heat uo in “tua”time, and if any chemical change takes place in the water. The dead snakes exude oil when picked up, which is not the case with those caught alive on a hook; the “tua” harvest is, of course, never given time to decompose—the fish come to the cook-huts straight from the pools. This, and the annual run of sar dine-like fry of the ‘tutai-nui,” has been a valued help to native larders in the poor months of the off-season.