GKNEUM NOTES 127 



General Notes. 

 The Dog and the Cobra. 



Mr. Fullers note on the encounter between a mierkat 

 and a cobra induces me to relate an experience which 1 

 had some IS years ago on Table Mountain. In on^er to 

 carry out some photographic work on the mountain I 

 stayed for a few days with the forester lodged at that 

 time in the cottage now occupied by the caretaker of the 

 Wynberg reservoirs. In front of the cottage was a young 

 plantation of firs, the trees being only about two feet high. 

 Standing on the stoep of the cottage the first morning 

 I suddenly noticed a great commotion among the little 

 trees in front of me and soon recognized that it wasf 

 caused by a fight between the forester's dog and a snake. 

 The dog was a sort of a hybrid Irish terrier w^hicb had 

 preferred to remain on the mountain with the forester 

 instead of following his master when passing there a few^ 

 days ago. When I recognised the two combatants the 

 dog held the snake at the tail and, rushing backwards 

 through the trees, jerked his head violently from side to 

 side, thus knocking the head of the snake against the 

 trees. Suddenly he let go; instantly the cobra rose and 

 turned towards his foe, but by that time ^he d?>g was at 

 a safe distance and barked at the snake. After a few 

 minutes the snake turned and rushed away, but just as 

 quickly the dog had sprung upon him again and repeated 

 the manouvre described before. ^Vhen tired he dropped 

 the snake; the snake rose, waited a few minutes and 

 tried to get away again, but without success. Gradually 

 the snake became weaker, and after the sixth time be did 

 not rise again. The dog waited a little, seized the snake 

 about the middle of the body and rushed backwards as 

 before until he had reached an open spot. There ho 

 dropi^ed the snake, watched him for a few minutes from 



