ELAPIDA. 53 
wise it is unceremoniously emptied out of the basket. The 
piper commences a slow movement of the body from one side 
to the other, which the snake soon imitates, with its eyes 
fixed intently upon his right hand, which is shielded by the 
basket, and now and then pushed forward to provoke the 
Cobra to bite. 
The movements of the reptile are graceful and amusing ; 
but this exercise soon tires it, and a fresh one is at hand, in 
another basket, to take its place. These snakemen are always 
provided with their antidotes against bites; but when they 
allow themselves to be bitten, it is always by a snake whose 
fangs have been extracted, although bystanders are not sup- 
posed to be aware of this fact. In a wild state, music has 
little if any influence on the snake, it being trained, by a long 
and severe schooling,* for its subsequent exhibitions. 
Several varieties of Cobra are known on the coast of Coro- 
mandel under different names. The species was supposed to 
exist in South America,t but it appears that it is found ex- 
clusively in India and Africa. 
~The Spectacle or Hood snake of North America has the 
skin about the neck loose, so that the head is completely en- 
veloped by the fold of the skin when the former is drawn 
back. In this position the back of the hood shows a distinct 
“ spectacle-mark.” This variety is not venomous. 
The following variety of Cobra occurs at Maunbhoom, 
India, called Aira Gahman (No. 30): Average length 4/ 33’; 
top of head purple brown, shading into a bright orange color 
on the lower half of hood; on the back are two faint shades 
of vinaceous brown, in stripes; spectacle-mark of a dark 
* Kempfer, Amenitates Exotice, p. 569. 
+ Gronovius, Zoophylacium, vol. i, p. 20. 
