34 ON THEl NATURE AND ACTION OF THE 



presenting the same symptoms as those of an innocuous snake 

 killed by a cobra-bite. 



Experiment j. — A young and very small, though lively, 

 cobra, 14 inches long, was bitten in the muscular part of the 

 body by a large krail {Bimgarus cceruleus), 48 inches long, 

 at 12.50. 



At 1 P.M. the cobra is very sluggish. 



1.8. So sluggish that it moves with difficulty and can be easily 

 handled ; it makes no effort at resistance. 



1.20. Apparently dying ; movements scarcely perceptible. 



1.22. Dead 32 minutes after the bite. 



Experiment k. — July lOth, 1869. A young cobra, about 

 10 inches long, was bitten at 3.45 p.m. by a fresh full-grown 

 cobra near the tail, so that the viscera might not be injured. 

 The fangs were seen to penetrate ; and no doubt could exist 

 that the poison was fairly inserted. Being put on the ground, 

 it crawled away vigorously, and seemed unaffected by the bite. 

 On the 13th it seemed well ; but on the 17th it was found dead, 

 and had apparently been so for about 12 hours. 



As this snake was young it may have died partly from want 

 of food and partly from the wound, as well as from the effects 

 of the poison. 



Though small snakes of a venomous species may be killed by 

 large ones, either of the same or of another species, full-grown 

 individuals are rarely injured by the bite of another, either of 

 their own or another species. This is illustrated by the follow- 

 ing experiments, which are taken from numerous others of the 

 same sort. 



Experiment /. — A Bimgarus fasciatus was fairly and deeply 

 bitten by a fresh cobra near the tail ; there was no doubt of the 

 penetration of the fangs and inoculation of the poison. No 

 effect was produced, and the Bungarus was alive and well five 

 days after the bite. 



Experiment m. — A Bimgarus fasciatus was thoroughly bitten 

 in a similar manner by a fresh Daboia. The bite produced no 



