188 



Note E. 



Page 173. Up to the end of February 1874, when the funds at my 



disposal were expended, cobras continued to be brought in for reward. 



From the 1st to the 26th a total of 168 were paid for. In the females 



eggs were well developed, being about an inch long in most those 



examined. A month later, eggs were found of full size, but the foetus 



hardly distinct. 



JSIOTE F. 



Page 171. The excuses made by Englishmen for the indiscrimi- 

 nate destruction of snakes may be divided into those of religion, of 

 disgust, and of philanthropy. I am sorry to say that of these the 

 religious excuse is not uncommonly avowed. I have known persons 

 who took as holy a relish in beating a snake to death as their grand- 

 fathers might have taken in drowning a witch. They considered 

 that they were fulfilling prophecy on a small scale. 



The excuse that snakes are nasty, disgusting, or slimy reptiles is 

 an example of the force of prejudice and we know that "a good 

 sound prejudice is not to be contradicted by mere eyesight and 

 observation." — {Friends in Council). Its efi'ects are well illustrative 

 of the following passage from Mr. Alexander Bain's work on the 

 Emotions and the Will. " The enunciation of disgust is a favourite 

 exercise. * * * The objects thus sought out need not offend the 

 senses in any way ; if they can only furnish a slight pretext for 

 being nasty or unclean, it is enough for letting off the charged 

 battery of the powerful organ of disgust. If any class of living 

 beings onould happen to provoke this out-burst, terrible is their fate. 

 No limits are set to the promptings for evil of this sentiment." — 

 Chap. XV. 



The philanthropic excuse, if meant in regard to the Indian popula- 

 tion, I would answer in the words of Dr. Johnson : — " My dear friend, 

 clear your miiid of cant. You may tcdk in this manner ; it is a mode of 

 talking in society ; but don't think foolishly." If made in regard to 

 the European population the excuse is a very poor one. The person 

 who kills a snake on the chance of its being venomous, would exercise 

 his philanthropy to more purpose by shooting every dog that comes 

 across his path ; for we have seen that amongst white people in India 

 the chance of death by dog-bite is ten times as great as that by 

 snake-bite. 



