1818 The Zoologist — September, 1869. 



doors are over nine feet high, and hence its not having been previously 

 seen ; and thus the snake hung too long as well as too high. 



The sloughs, or snake-skins, are very much used by birds for nest 

 building ; I have seen portions of them in most hawks' nests, more 

 especially in that of the ringtailed fish-eagle ; whilst the mynas 

 [Acridothereft) all use them extensively. The charming little necta- 

 rine {/4rac//?ec/( /A/a asw/eca, Linn.) uses little bits of them in his nest 

 of spider's web ; and four or five other species of small birds employ 

 them largely. The villagers hold the ashes of the slough to be a charm, 

 and an antidote for rheumatism, when rubbed up with oil ; but I am 

 not aware that any virtue really resides in them, although doubtless 

 the friction and the oil may do good. 



It is not often that natives of India take an interest in Natural 

 History, and hence I know I shall be excused for introducing the fol- 

 lowing correspondence relative to the snakes (Cobras) feeding on fish 

 and snails. Here it is, as it appeared in a letter addressed to the 

 Editor of the ' Delhi Gazette,' with others to myself: — 



Curious habit of the Cobra. — " I shall feel obliged by your kindly 

 inserting the following, and also glad of any additional information on 

 the subject which may be afforded by your readers. I have never 

 heard it noticed before, that the black snake, or Cobra-di-capello, 

 takes to the water and catches fish like a common water snake. Last 

 year, when standing on the bank of the little stream at the bottom of 

 my garden, during the rains, I saw on a rock at the other side two cobras, 

 which appeared to be meditating crossing the river at a narrow place, 

 where however the current was very strong, and they at last plunged 

 boldly in, swimming fast towards the near side, whence they emerged, 

 one having a small fish three or four inches long in his mouth, and 

 quickly disappeared in the willow jungle, which covers both banks. 

 About a month ago, when walking with Captain Battye and Lieut. 

 Young, of this regiment, we saw a black snake, whose body, partly 

 hidden amongst stones, was poised in an erect position, with its 

 head only above water, evidently on the look-out for small fish and 

 frogs : I shot it with a pea-rifle, and though both ray friends were 

 inclined to doubt the fact of its being a cobra, the matter was soon 

 settled to our satisfaction by comparing it with a cobra fully six feet in 

 length, which Lieut. Young's bull-dog had that very morning killed 

 in my compound (the second killed by the same dog within a few days), 

 when it agreed in every particular, not forgetting the moveable fangs 

 so distinctive of this species. Again : yesterday evening, when fishing 



