58 



It is almost unnecessary to say that there is no such thing 

 as a double-headed snake, i.e., a snake with a head at each end 

 of its body. Native snake exhibitors, however, sometimes 

 display what they call double-headed snakes. They manu- 

 facture these by mutilating the stumpy tail of the Johns Earth 

 Snake. 



There is in fact a general tendency to exaggerate when 

 talking about snakes. It must be admitted that they are 

 rather uncanny beasts but one must be on one's guard when 

 listening to tales of them. Who has not heard marvellous 

 stories of how they fascinate their victims, yet this power 

 appears to be quite mythical. 



Many people say and believe that they have killed cobras 

 over 6 feet long. I have never seen one over 5 feet 3 inches, 

 and Nicholson states that his largest specimen was 5 feet 

 8 inches, and that out of 1,200 which he examined there 

 were only four over 5 feet 6 inches. There are very few 

 authentic records of cobras measuring more than 6 feet. 



The length of pythons too is very apt to be exaggerated, 

 due perhaps, as Nicholson suggests, to the proportionately 

 great thickness of the body. The stories of pythons eating 

 goats and deer, etc., have apparently no foundation in fact. 

 Rats and small birds are more suited to the capacity of 

 the jaw of the ordinary python. 



Fearsome tales are extant about the Hamadryad or king 

 cobra, and a deadly poisonous snake, ten or twelve feet long, 

 must be a rather terrible beast. Wall says it is known to show 

 a most aggressive spirit and quotes a case of one making an 

 unprovoked assault on a cooly woman, holding on to her leg for 

 several minutes till it had to be beaten off. Nicholson says 

 it is very savage when watching its eggs and will drive away 

 any passers-by, but that at other times it is peaceable enough. 

 It is evident, therefore, that the Hamadryad is a somewhat 

 formidable animal, but there is no excuse for the ridiculous 



