190 ^'E^V YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Tlie writer lias never iitiled the re])iUe(l al)ilit\- of the Cobras 

 to forcibly eject their venom when in a coiled and defensive 

 position. He realizes, however, that the savai^e hisses they give 

 when striking miglit possibly expel a drop of their formidable 

 secretion to some distance, if it were issuing from the fangs ; and 

 he believes that there may be instances when in striking and hiss- 

 ing simultaneously the snake compresses the poison glands by 

 the contraction of the jaw muscles, and ejects the poison, though 

 quite accidentally, in the direction of the object of its anger. If 

 this fluid should enter the eyes, blindness or death are very proba- 

 ble consequences. 



Feeding Jiabits. — All of the snakes of the genus .V(//(/ are very 

 hardy in captivity, and feed readily, if given ])r(i])er care, which 

 appeals particular) v t<» the shedding of the skin, an inability to 

 perform which process and consequent disregard on the part of 

 the keeper, will result in the death of the majority of specimens. 

 Most of the species feed upon small rodents, birds and eggs. The 

 latter are swallowed entire. Some s])ecies. of which the Indian, 

 or Spectacled Cobra, is one, evince a fondness for frogs. In fact, 

 as compared to the feeding hal)its of various serpents of their 

 size, several of the species may l)e said to be omnivorous. 



The food is not suddenly "struck." as is the custom with the 

 long-fanged snakes (Viperidac) , but is actively pursued and 

 grasped firmly, the jaws of the reptile being worked in such a 

 manner that several wounds are produced bv the fangs. After 

 thus quickly injecting the animal with its \enom. and inflicting 

 such a shock that it is powerless to ofler v(»luntary op])osition, 

 the snake begins at once to swallow its prev. ])aving little atten- 

 tion to the struggles which some creatures continue during the 

 entire process of deglutition. 



During the periods of feeding, these serpents sometimes fight 

 viciously with each other, producing wounds which to other ani- 

 mals soon would prove fatal, but resulting in no ill efl'ects u])on 

 the snakes themselves, they being entirely immime to the efl^ects 

 of their own poison. 



The King Cobra OY. hiinganis) is a cannibalistic species, in 

 captivity usually refusing everything but snakes. While feeding 

 it not only displays considerable cunning, but also great agility. 

 When a snake is placed in the cage, the ('ol)ra dashes upon it, 

 seizes it by the middle of the body, and within a fiw seconds' time 

 the fangs have done their work. Snakes, however, .are r.ather slow 

 to succmnb to the venom of these reptiles. ( )n ibe part of the 

 victim there is vigorous o])pr)sitioii to being tliu^ treahd. Ibe 



