NINTH ANNUAL REPORT, 189 
HEAD OF CORAL SNAKE. 
The fang formation of this North American serpent demonstrates its relationship to the Cobras. 
thus producing several wounds from each. The duration of the 
biting movements may be from one to several seconds, depend- 
ing upon the state of the reptile’s irritability. A man wearing 
ordinary summer underclothing and a thin suit without, might 
consider his limbs protected from a Cobra’s fangs, as the latter 
would be too short to penetrate the several thicknesses of thin 
cloth, unless the garments fitted very tightly, and the snake 
secured a most favorable hold. 
It has been observed that a Cobra is unable to kill an angora 
guinea pig except when the serpent grasps the animal by a limb 
or by the nose. When seized by the body, the poison is expended 
in the fur of the animal, the fangs being too short to reach the 
flesh. Bitten animals die quickly from what appears to be a 
rapid paralysis, during which there are but slight struggles, and 
they appear to suffer but little pain. 
