COBRA, PUFF-ADDER, AND CERASTES. 51 



adapted for concealment among the luxuriant 

 tropical foliage. Just as in the cat tribe, we see 

 how well the tawny colour of the lion harmonises 

 with the sandy rocks among which he is found, and 

 with what difficulty the striped tiger is distin- 

 guished as he crouches among the yellow jungle- 

 grass of India, while the spotted leopard and jaguar 

 can only be perceived by a practised eye as they 

 lurk among the tree branches. But to proceed 

 with my description. On a mouse being dropped 

 into the case, the cerastes, after looking at it for a 

 moment, made a rapid dart, bringing down his 

 erected poison-fangs on the nape of the neck. The 

 mouse, on being struck, fell almost immediately 

 over on its side, dying in 1 min. 3 sec. On examin- 

 ing the body, I found the muscles of the neck in a 

 highly inflamed state, and a good deal of coagulated 

 blood about the place where the fangs had pene- 

 trated, the inner surface of the skin appearing 

 as if mortified, though but a few minutes had 

 elapsed since the infliction of the bite. 



A half-grown rabbit was next placed with an 

 Indian cobra, which was lying coiled up among the 

 gravel at the bottom of his cage. As soon, however, 

 as he was aroused by the rabbit falling in, he 

 expanded his hood in the beautiful manner peculiar 

 to the species, waving the head and neck at the same 

 time from side to side, and hissing violently. 



E 2 



