HABITS OF POISONOUS SNAKES. THEIR CAPTURE 19 
squeezing too hard (fig. 15), taking care at the same time not to 
eive the body a chance of coiling itself round anything. Next, 
one or more lumps of beef or horse-flesh are introduced into the 
jaws, and gently forced down deep into the cesophagus by means 
Fic. 17.—CarToHING A Cobra-di-Capello (Naja tripudians), FIRST STAGE. 
(At the French Settlement of Pondicherry, in India.) 
of a glass rod, which is polished in order not to injure the mucous 
membrane. The cesophagus 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 laboratory, I have been able to preserve, 
in perfect condition for more than two years, Indian Cobras and 
