16 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA, 



ON THE MINUTE STRUCTURE OF THE POISON-GLAND 

 OF THE COBRA (NAIA TRIPUDIANS). 



By Dr. G. Bobeaij. 



Prepr. d' Histologie a la Faculte de Medicine de Paris. 

 (With two Plates.) 



AMONG all the works on the fine histology of the 

 poison-gland, there are few (except Emery's*) giving a 

 description, both general and detailed, of the gland of the 

 venomous Colubridse. It may be of interest, therefore, to 

 record my investigations into the structure of the poison- 

 gland of Naia tripudians by means of modem histological 

 methods. 



I have myself collected many of the poison-glands during 

 my recent travels in Ceylon and British India. Several were 

 given me by Dr. J. Pearson, Director of the Colombo Museum , 

 to whom I again offer my sincere thanks. 



I will first describe briefly the methods employed ; then the 

 microscopical anatomy by means of interpretations from 

 whole sections ; thirdly, I will give a detailed description of 

 the glandular cells with their cell-workings ; and finally, I will 

 discuss the physiological significance of each component 

 part of the poison-gland. 



I. — Technique. 

 The glands which I examined were removed immediately 

 after the snakes had been killed. The killing was done by 

 suddenly cutting the neck which left the tissues in a definite 

 physiological state. Some of the snakes had been starved ; 

 others had eaten two, four, six, or more days before ; some 

 had bitten (into a cambric) ; others in a state of fury had not 

 bitten at all. I was therefore able to obtain all the grades of 

 the cellular and glandular secretions. 



* Emery, Carl. XJeber den feineren Bau der Giftdriise der Naja haje. 

 (Arch. f. Mikr. Anat. Bd. 11., 1875, s. 561-568. Taf. XXXIlt. 



