THE COBRA AND OTHER SERPENTS. 71 



and lively. Accordingly, lie gave us "Pop goes the Weasel." 

 "Miss McLeod's Reel/' and " The White Cockade"; but never a 

 snake moved. I then invited him inside, but the result was the 

 same, the flute was a failure. Next day I tried the violin. The 

 performer again sat outside, but all his efforts were useless ; both 

 quick and slow music were alike lost upon them. On my invita- 

 tion he came in and sat still a few moments preparatory to com- 

 mencing afresh. He soon thought himself an Orpheus; for as 

 he began playing, the cobras stood up on the floor. " Aha ! " said 

 he, " see that ! " However, believing that they were only alarmed 

 at the quick movements of his arm, I stood over between him and 

 them, thus cutting off their view, whereupon they showed that 

 their fears were quieted by gently lowering themselves to the 

 floor. 



On the table was a glass-fronted wooden box in which was a 

 large puff adder. I got the musician to sit close opposite to 

 this and play his loudest, but the snake never showed the slight- 

 est sign. Then at my request he went round behind the cage 

 and let one end of the violin rest on the top of it. At first 

 he played the higher notes, and the snake showed no sign ; but 

 when he touched the deep bass chords the animal swelled himself 

 up and began to blow as if alarmed. Thus from the instrument 

 resting on the wood of the top the vibration was conveyed to the 

 whole box, and the snake /eZ^ it throughout his entire body where 

 he lay in contact with it, in the very same way that I myself felt 

 it when I laid my hand upon it. 



Many trials were made with other instruments, but always 

 Avith the same results, viz., 1. Music from an unseen performer 

 had no effect whatever. 2. If the performer were seen, any 

 noticeable movements of his would alarm the snakes, but in ex- 

 actly the same way as if he made no noise at all. 3. They gave 

 signs of disturbance when the vibration, especially of bass sounds, 

 was communicated to the material on which they lay. 



Thus was proved not only that cobras do not dance to music, 

 but that, far from being charmed with the melody, the poor ani- 

 mal is only frightened at the movements of the musician, and that 

 the apparent dancing and bowing are only so many half-hearted 

 attempts to strike at the performer or some one moving in his 

 vicinity. Furthermore, I was led to the conclusion that snakes 

 can not hear any sound with sufficient distinctness to determine 

 their acts, unless it is so great as to cause objects in contact with 

 their skin to vibrate sensibly to the touch, and that even then they 

 can only be said to feel the sound's effects. 



At the present moment as I write there is on the table before 

 me a glass-fronted box in which are some of our common garter 

 snakes. On the top of this box is placed an alarm clock. Now, 



