70 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



balances its head and body, and thus simulates a kind of dance. 

 Other charmers induce the Cobra to make a variety of movements 

 of the neck and head by playing upon a whistle or flute. It is 

 said that these mysterious jugglers are able, by some sympathetic 

 action they possess, to plunge these dangerous enemies into a sort of 

 lethargy and death-like rigidity, and to bring them at will out of this 

 momentary torpor. It is certain, at any rate, that they handle these 

 animals, whose bite is extremely dangerous, with considerable im- 

 punity. It is supposed by some that these charmers take the precau- 

 tion of exhausting the venom of the Cobra every day by forcing it to 

 bite something several times before exhibiting it, or by drawing its 

 poisonous fangs. 



The Asp (Naja haje) has a less dilatable neck ; it is of a greenish 

 colour, and marked with brownish spots. It is smaller than the 

 former ; is found in the west and south of Africa ; and is especially 

 common in Egypt. It was said to have been this reptile which 

 caused the death of Cleopatra. 



The genus Hamadryas of Cantor (Ophiophagus of Gunther) 

 differs very little from the true Cobras, but has a less developed 

 hood, and a single small tooth placed at some distance behind the 

 fang. The only species (H. daps] attains to thirteen feet in length, 

 and is proportionately formidable, being much less timid and retiring 

 in its habits than the Cobras of the genus Naja. It preys habitually on 

 other Snakes, and seems to be more plentiful eastward of the Bay of 

 Bengal than it is in India. In Burmah it is styled the Gnan ; and 

 Mr. Theobald tells us that its venom is fatal in a few minutes. " One 

 of these snakes/' he adds, " was brought in alive, and a snake- 

 charmer came up to display his command over the animal. At first, 

 (as I am told) the snake seemed cowed by the authoritative ' Hah ' 

 of the man ; but suddenly, through some carelessness on his part, the 

 snake struck him on the wrist. The poor fellow at once ran off 

 home to get an antidote, but fell down before reaching his own 

 door, and died in a few minutes. When at Tongho," continues Mr. 

 Theobald, " I heard a case of an elephant being killed by one of 

 these snakes, which I have no reason for doubting. The elephant 

 was a fine powerful male, and was pulling down with his trunk some 

 creepers or boughs, when a large Gnan, which was disturbed in 

 the tree, struck the elephant on the trunk between the eyes. The 

 elephant at once retreated, became faint, and died in about three 

 hours." This terrible Snake would appear to be not uncommon 

 in the Andaman Islands, and its range of distribution extends 

 through the Malay countries to the Philippines and to New Guinea, 



