THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 93 



front place, but those behind pressed the bolder spectators rather incon- 

 veniently forward. 



Standing in the open space the old Arab said something to the young 

 one, who stooped down under the reptile cases at the north side of the 

 room, and took out a large deal box with a sliding cover, which looked like 

 a box for stowing away a set of Brobdignag chessmen, drew off the cover, 

 thrust in his hand, and pulled out a large long naia haje.* After handling 

 it and playing with it a little while, he set it down on the floor, half 

 squatted close to it, and fixed his eye on the snake. The serpent instantly 

 raised itself, expanded its hood, and turned slowly on its own axis, follow- 

 ing the eye of the young Arab, turning as his head, or eye, or body turned. 

 Sometimes it would dart at him as if to bite. He exercised the most 

 perfect command over the animal. 



Then the old Arab took part in the performance, fixing his eyes 

 upon the snake, with his face on a level with the raised head of 

 the serpent, which seemed to be in a paroxysm of rage. 



Suddenly it darted open-mouthed at his face, furiously dashing its 

 expanded whitish-edged jaws into the dark hollow cheek of the charmer, 

 who still imperturbably kept his position, only smiling bitterly at his 

 excited antagonist. 



Broderip, who was in front, watched very narrowly, but though 

 the snake dashed at the old Arab's face, and into it more than 

 twice or thrice with its mouth wide open, he could not see the 

 projection of any fang. 



A cerastes, or horned viper, was next brought out, but proved 

 to be sluggish. More snakes, including a second naia, were then 

 taken out of the box. One of them bit the boy on the hand, 

 and brought the blood, but he only spat on the wound, and 

 enlarged it with his nail, which made the blood flow more 

 freely. Broderip concludes thus: 



The Arabs, holding the snakes by the tails, let their bodies touch the 

 floor, when they came twisting and wriggling on towards the spectators, 

 who now backed a little upon the toes of those who pressed them from 

 behind. Sometimes the charmers would loose their hold, when the serpents, 

 as if eager to escape from their tormentors, rapidly advanced upon the 

 retreating ring ; but they always caught them by the tails in time, and 

 then made them repeat the same advances. I kept my position in front 

 throughout, and had no fear, feeling certain that Mr. Mitchell, and those 

 under whose superintendence this highly amusing and instructive establish- 

 ment is so well conducted, would not have permitted the exhibition to take 

 place if there had been the least danger. Besides this I observed that the 



* The Egyptian cobra, which has no spectacle-mark on the back of the neck. 



