40 ON THE NATURE AND ACTION OF THE 



scratched, not pierced by the fangs. If the poison is inoculated, 

 it dies. 



The same is true of the pig, wliich escapes probably by 

 receiving the wound in the foot, where absorption is not rapid 

 or vigorous. This animal, like others, yields to the poison 

 when the fangs are embedded and the virus thoroughly 

 inoculated [vide Thanatophidia, p. lott). 



Action on Germination. 



In order to see whether cobra-poison had any effect on the 

 germination of seeds, the following experiments were made. It 

 will be seen from them that the venom does not prevent 

 germination, but interferes with it, especially when strong. In 

 this it agrees with rattlesnake-poison. (Weir-Mitchell On 

 Rcdtlesnake Venom, p. 52.) 



Experiment XIV. 



A piece of flannel was doubled, and, 12 cress-seeds being laid 

 between the folds, it was placed in a small beaker with 10 c.c. of 

 water. Another piece, treated in the same way, was laid in 

 9 c.c. of water and 1 of a 2-per-cent. solution of dried cobra- 

 poison. 



Some time after the water had evaporated, so as to leave the 

 flannel soaked with water but not covered, nine of those seeds 

 which had been treated with water and poison had germinated 

 and grown to about half-an-incli in length, while seven of those 

 treated by water alone had germinated and had grown somewhat 

 larger than the others. 



Experiment XV. 



The preceding experiment was repeated with lettuce-seeds. 

 Seven of those treated with water alone had germinated, but 

 only one of those treated with water and poison. 



Experiment XVI. 



A small piece of cotton-wool was placed in the bottom of 

 each of two short test-tubes, and 10 lettuce- and 10 cress-seeds 



