Notkes 7-espeding New BookuSJ- 87 



- This formidable reptile has obtained its Portuguese title 

 of cobra dc copcllo, or hooded snake, from the appcaroiice 

 vihich it presents when viewed in front in an irritated state, 

 or when preparing to bite ; at which time it bends the head 

 rather downwards", and seems hooded, as it were, in some 

 degree, bv the expanded skin of the neck. In India it is 

 every where exhibited publicly as a show, and is, of course, 

 more universally known in that country than almost any other 

 of the race of reptiles. It is carried about in a covered basket, 

 and so managed by its proprietors as to assume, when exhi- 

 bited, a kind of clancing motion; raising itself up on its 

 loweif part, and alternately moving its head and body from 

 side to side for some minutes, to the sound of some musical 

 instrument which is played during the time. The Indian 

 jugglers, who thus exhibit the animal, first deprive it of its 

 fangs ; by which means they are secured from the danger of 

 its bite. 



Dr. Russel, in hie account of experiments made in India 

 with this serpent, obsencs, that, as a ge.^jral standard for 

 {I comparison of the eft'ect of its bite with that of other poi- 

 sonous serpents, he never knew it prove mortll to a dog ill 

 less than twent^-seveii mmutes, and to a chicken in less 

 than half a minute. Tljps, fatal as it is, its poison seems 

 iiot so speedy in operation as that of the rattle-snake, which 

 lias been known to kill a dog in the space of two minutes. 



In the month of .lune 1787, a dog bitten by a cobra de 

 capello on the inside of the thigh howled at first as if in 

 severe pain : #ifter two or three minutes he lay d\nvn, con- 

 tinuing to howl and moan : after twenty niinuteg he irfese, 

 but with much difficulty, being uiuble to walk, and his 

 whole frame appeared greatly disordered. lie soon lay dowii 

 again, and in a few minutes was seized with convulsions, 

 ^n which he expired twenty-seven minutes after the bite. 



A laiire and very stout dog was bitten by another cobra 

 de eapello on the inside of the thigh, which in a minute 

 or two was drawn up; which is, in general, the first sym- 

 ptom of the p(j,isonJiaving taken effect. He continued, htnv- 

 cvcr, nearlv an hour longx-r, walking on the three reinaining 

 leffs, seemina; not otherwise disordered ; but after this time 

 he laidhimserf along in great inquietude, his head and throat 

 being convulsed in an tmeommon degree ; he made several 

 vain etibrts to rise; his legs became both paratytie, and after 

 continuing in this state near an hour he exjiircd, 



Nov. 1 1 , a large' dog was bitten by a cobra de capella 

 which had i)cen captive only two days. Me complained a 

 good deal at the instant of the i)itc, and the leg was drawn 



i'l . up 



