THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 61 



Snake-chauiners, of whom there are many in Egypt, always 

 employ Naja haje for their performances. They know how to 

 capture it, and tear out its fangs by making it bite a bundle of rags. 



This species rarely lives more than six or eight months in 

 captivity, and is quite untamable. It is fond of bathing, and 

 remains in the water for hours together. 



" The Ancient Egyptians," write Dumeril and Bibron,' " are 

 known to have worshipped the Naja, which they regarded as the 

 protector of their crops. They allowed it to live and multiply 

 among the cultivated lands, which they apparently entrusted to 

 the care of their tutelary gaardian, recognising that this snake freed 

 thein from the ravages of the rats, the immense number of which 

 otherwise caused terrible destruction and even actual famine. It was, 

 therefore, from motives of gratitude that the Egyptian Cobra was 

 venerated in this way ; that its image was hung up in the temples ; 

 that its skin was embalmed ; and that its efligy, so easy to recognise 

 and to reproduce roughly, was graven or sculptured on the stones 

 of their monuments. This is the explanation of the fact that paint- 

 ings representing N. haje are frequently reproduced in hieroglyphics 

 and on Egyptian sarcophagi." 



The Naja was the tutelary deity of the temples, whose duty was 

 to prevent the profane from entering. Thus, in one of the crypts 

 of Denderah we find represented Serpent-genie, figures with a head 

 like that of a Naja supported by the body of a man, with the hands 

 armed with enormous cutlasses (Mariette, Denderah. p. 91, 1875). 



(2) N. Jiava. — Same arrangement of scales. Neck dilatable. 

 200 — 227 ventrals ; 50—67 subcaudals. 



Colour very variable, yellowish, reddish, brown, or black, uniform 

 or with light spots ; sometimes a black transverse band on the neck. 



Total length, 1,470 millimetres ; tail 280. 



Habitat : South Africa. 



^ Erprtologie generale, t. vii. 



