HABITS OF POISONOUS SNAKES. THE 11^ CAPTURE 



19 



squeezing too hard (tig. 15), taking care at the same time not to 

 give the body a chance of coihng itself round anything. Next, 

 one or more knups of beef or horse-flesh are introduced into the 

 jaws, and gently forced down deep into the (esophagus by means 



\V' 



^' 



iii 



Fig. 17. — Catching a Cobra-di-Capello (Naja tripndians), First Stage. 

 (At the French Settlement of Pondicheny, in India.) 



of a glass rod, which is polished in order not to injure the mucous 

 membrane. The oesophagus is then gently massaged in a down- 

 ward direction, in order to cause the bolus of food to descend into 

 the stomach (fig. 16). This operation is repeated every fortnight. 



In this way, at my laborator}-, I have been able to preserve, 

 in perfect condition for more than two years, Indian Cobras and 



