148 THE BEAD SNAKE. 



them, that the individnal who had done Buddha the forgotten service ventured to remind him 

 of his promise, and to beg relief from the attacks of the kite. Buddha immediately granted 

 the request by placing the spectacles on the Snake's hood, thereby frightening the kite so 

 much that it has never since ventured to attack a Cobra. 



It is rather curious that many persons fancy that the Cobra loses a joint of its tail every 

 time that it sheds its poison, this belief being exactly opposite to the popular notion that 

 the rattlesnake gains a new joint to its rattle for every being wMch it has killed. 



The color of tliis Serpent is singularly uncertain, and in the museums may be seen several 

 specimens of each variety. In some cases the body is bro\^'nish-olive, and the spectacles are 

 white, edged with black. Another variety is also brownish -olive, but covered with irregular 

 cross-bands of black. The spectacles are remarkably bold, white, edged with black. Other 

 specimens are olive, marbled richly with brown below. The spectacles are like those of the 

 last variety. Sometimes a few specimens are found of a uniform brownish-olive without any 

 spectacles ; others are black with white spectacles, and others, again, black without spectacles. 

 Even the number of rows in which the scales are disposed is as variable as the color. The 

 sjiecimens without spectacles seem to come from Borneo, Java, the Philippines, and other 

 islands. The length of the Cobra di Capello is usually between three and four feet. 



The African Cobra, or Ha.te, is equally poisonous with its Asiatic relative. It is some- 

 times called Spuugh-Slange, or Spitting- Snake, on account of its power of projecting the 

 poisonous secretion to a distance. It effects this object by a sudden and violent expiration of 

 the breath, and, if aided by the wind, will strike an object at the distance of several feet. 

 Gordon Cumming mentions an instance of his suffering from the poison of this Serpent : "A 

 horrid Snake, which Kleinberg had tiied to kill with his loading-rod, flew up at my eye and 

 spat poison in it. I endured great pain all night ; the next day the eye came all right again." 

 This short narrative was much ridiculed when the work first app)eared, familiar as the 

 existence of the Spitting- Snake has been to naturalists for many years. 



The Haje is one of the fiercest among poison-bearing Snakes, seldom running from an 

 •adversary, but generally turning to fight, and not unfrequently beginning the attack. Gener- 

 ally, it moves slowly, but when angry, it darts at its foe, and strikes and spits with such 

 rapid energy, that the antagonist stands in need of a quick hand and eye to conquer the 

 furious reptile. It is a good climber, and is in the habit of ascending trees in search of prey. 

 It is fond of water, and will enter that element voluntarily. While immersed, it swims well, 

 but slowly, scarcely elevating its head above the surface. 



In coloring it is one of the most variable of Snakes. Sometimes it is light yellow-brown, 

 either of a uniform tint, or covered with irregular blotches. This is the variety sho\\Ti in the 

 colored illustration. Other specimens are black when adult, having, when young, a series of 

 broad yellow bands on the fore part of the body. Another variety is black, with a grayish- 

 white spectacle-like mark on the neck, and the fore part of the abdomen yellow, with some 

 broad cross-bands. It is rather curious that the hood of the black specimens is not so wide as 

 in the yellow and brown varieties. The length of the Haje is about five or six feet. 



One of the brightest and loveliest of Serpents is the Bead Snake of North America. 



This beautiful little reptile inhabits the cultivated grounds, especially frequenting the 

 sweet-potato plantations, and burrowing in the earth, close to the roots of the plants, so that 

 it is often dug up by the negroes wliUe getting in the harvest. It possesses poison-fangs, but 

 is apparently never laiown to use them, permitting itself to be handled in the roughest 

 manner, without attempting to bite the hand that holds it. 



The colors of this Snake are bright, pure, and arranged in a manner so as to contrast 

 boldly with each other. The muzzle and part of the head are black, the remainder of the 

 head is golden-yellow, and the front of the neck jetty-black. A narrow band of golden-yellow 

 with undulating edges comes next the lilack, and is followed by a broad band of the lightest 

 carmine. From this point the whole of the body and tail are covered with narrow rings of 

 golden-yellow, alternating with broad bands of carmine and jetty-black. Towards the tail the 



