THE COBRAS. 65 
impunity.” Far otherwise, however, is the venom of Hoplocephalus 
curtus, and also of some others. A. curtus is one of the worst 
Snakes of Australia, where it inhabits the more temperate parts of 
the country from east to west. Its bite is almost as deadly as that 
of the Indian Cobra, to which it is considerably allied. “A good- 
sized dog bitten became paralysed within three minutes, and was 
dead in fifty minutes afterwards ; a goat died in thirty-five minutes ; 
a porcupine ant-eater (Zchidna hystrix) lived six hours; and a 
- common tortoise, an animal which will live a day with its head cut 
off, died in five hours after being bitten.” The 4. suferbus replaces 
it in Tasmania. 
The Cobras (Vaya) are widely known, alike from the virulence of 
their poison and for their remarkable dilatable disc or “‘ hood” on the 
nape, the ribs which support this hood being much elongated. ‘Two 
species are commonly recognised, the Cobra di Capella of Southern 
Asia, Fig. 17 (JVaja tripudians), and the Asp (4. Aaze) of Africa ; 
but there are marked local varieties of both species, and the 
sputatrix of the Malay countries should probably be recognised as 
a third species. Those of India, with Ceylon, have a mark like a 
pair of spectacles upon the hood; while those of Burmah and the 
neighbouring countries eastward, have only an oval black spot upon 
it. In India the ccmmonest colour of this formidable reptile is 
uniform brown, though many are of a pale yellowish straw colour ; 
and there are others of every shade between that and black. It 
grows to a length of about five feet, seldom more. ‘Almost every 
writer on the natural productions of the East Indies,” remarks Dr. 
Giinther, “‘has contributed to the natural history of this snake, 
which has been surrounded by such a number of fabulous stories, 
that their repetition and contradiction would fill a volume.” It is 
very generally diffused over the Indian region, though, as Mr. 
Theobald notices, from its nocturnal habits, it is less often seen than 
many harmless species. ‘This snake is, I believe,” he adds, “of 
inoffensive habits, unless irritated, but is, of course, a dangerous 
neighbour to have in a house.* Not only in Burmah, where the 
respect for animal life is greatest, but in India also, I have known a 
cobra enticed or forced into an earthen jar, and then carried by two 
men across a river, or some distance from the village, and liberated. 
* Although the Cobra di Capella is so plentiful in India, we could never hear of 
one instance of a European being bitten by one during a residence of many years 
in that country. They prey chiefly on rats—the presence of which is the attrac- 
tion which brings them about human habitations—occasionally upon young 
chickens, and commonly upon toads.—ED. . 
D 
