NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 187 
HEAD OF RATTLESNAKE 
The fangsare very large in comparison to the poison-conducting teeth of the King Cobra. 
venomous and harmless, the Cobras appear to be the most vicious 
and untamable. Even after years of captivity the majority of 
specimens remain as frenziedly hostile as when first received 
from their native wilds. The stories of wild Cobras wantonly 
attacking men have been much condemned as fallacious and sen- 
sational. They can not be, however, entirely devoid of founda- 
tion and truthfulness. On many occasions the writer has noted 
signs of aggressiveness on the part of angry Cobras that clearly 
indicate a more dangerous class of serpents than thick-bodied 
and sluggish viperine snakes. 
Two specimens of the Masked Cobra (N. tripudians semifas- 
ciata) have been in the Reptile House for over three years. 
They are fully as vicious to-day as upon their arrival at the Park. 
When angered, these snakes will rear their bodies more than a 
third of their length from the ground, and with dilated necks, 
spreading to the width of a man’s palm, remain in this position 
indefinitely—until all causes of annoyance have passed. The 
opening of their door and a slight wave of the hand is sufficient 
to throw these snakes into a frenzy of anger. While rearing 
to strike, they are exceedingly nervous. A slight turn of the 
hand, or the movement of a stick will cause them to start like 
a nervous horse at a gun-shot. They strike forward and down- 
