NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 



187 



HEAD OF RATTLESNAKE 

 The fangs are \ery large in comparison to the poison-conducting teeth of the King Cobra. 



venomous and harmless, the Cobras appear to be the most vicious 

 and untamable. Even after years of captivity the majority of 

 specimens remain as frenziedly hostile as when first received 

 from their native wilds. The stories of wild Cobras wantonly 

 attacking men have been much condemned as fallacious and sen- 

 sational. They can not be, however, entirely devoid of founda- 

 tion and truthfulness. On many occasions the writer has noted 

 signs of aggressiveness on the part of angrv Cobras that clearly 

 indicate a more dangerous class of serpents than thick-bodied 

 and sluggish viperine snakes. 



Two specimens of the Masked Cobra ( .V. tri[>iiiliaiis scmifas- 

 ciata) have been in the Reptile House for over three years. 

 They are fully as vicious to-day as upon their arrival at the Park. 

 When angered, these snakes will rear their bodies more than a 

 third of their length from the ground, and with dilated necks, 

 spreading to the width of a man's palm, remain in this position 

 indefinitely — until all causes of annoyance have passed. The 

 opening of their door and a slight wave of the hand is sufficient 

 to throw these snakes into a frenzy of anger. While rearing 

 to strike, they are exceedingly nervous. A slight turn of tiie 

 hand, or the movement of a stick will cause them to start like 

 a nervous horse at a gun-shot. They strike forward and ili>\vii- 



