THE SNAKES 297 



ened position an assistant easily removes the old cuticle. 



Cobras feed upon small rodents, birds and eggs. The 

 latter are swallowed entire. Some specimens evince a 

 fondness for frogs. The food is grasped and chewed 

 until several times wounded by the fangs, the snake 

 steadily retaining its hold until the prey is dead or so be- 

 numbed by the poison as to offer no voluntary struggles. 



A large Spectacled Cobra is six and a half feet long 

 and two inches in diameter at the thickest part of the 

 body. 



Another well-known species of Naja is the Egyptian 

 Cobra or Asp, N. haje, a reptile sharing with an Egyp- 

 tian viper, Cerastes cornutus, the reputation in history 

 of being the serpent concerned in the suicide of Cleo- 

 patra. 



The Egyptian Cobra is fully as vicious as its Indian 

 ally, spreading a "hood" in a like manner. It is, how- 

 ever, a smaller snake and of a dull brown hue with no 

 markings showing upon the neck when extended. Con- 

 sequently, it is a less dramatic creature than the spec- 

 tacled snake. The intelligence of this serpent, neverthe- 

 less, is marked, while its motions are wonderfully quick. 

 The following experiment, conducted in the New York 

 Zoological Park, demonstrates the vivacity and reason- 

 ing power of the species: — 



A small wooden box with thin sliding top was placed 

 in the serpent's roomy cage. The lid of the box was left 

 partially open, and into the box, for the greater part of 

 the day, the snake retired to hide. The box was left in 

 the cage for a week with the idea of permitting the rep- 

 tile to become thoroughly familiar with it. An oppor- 

 tunity was then awaited of finding the snake prowling 

 about the cage, when the box was taken out and placed in 

 a room twelve feet square. The snake was taken from 



