XVI 



THE COBRA 



yA CCORDING to my dictionary, the cobra di 

 /^ capello (Naia tripudians) is a reptile of 

 / ^ the most venomous nature. This, Hke 

 many other things the dictionary says, is 

 not strictly true. There exist snakes whose bite is far 

 more poisonous than that of the cobra. The common 

 krait, for example, is four times as venomous, and yet 

 the bite of this little reptile is mild as compared with 

 that of the sea snake, which should be carefully dis- 

 tinguished from the sea-serpent of the " silly season." 

 But let us not quarrel with the writer of the dictionary ; 

 he did his best. The cobra is quite venomous enough 

 for all practical purposes to merit the title of *' the 

 most venomous." A fair bite kills a dog in from five 

 minutes to an hour. Notwithstanding the lethal 

 nature of his bite, the cobra is said by all who know 

 him intimately to be a gentle, timid creature. Sulki- 

 ness is his worst vice. In captivity he sometimes sulks 

 to such a degree as to starve to death unless food be 

 pushed down his gullet ! The cobra is a reptile who 

 prefers retiring gracefully to facing the foe. It is 

 only when driven into a corner that he strikes, and then 



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