ZOOLOCIR'AL SOCIETY BriJ.ETTN 



131 





HORNED VIPER. 



among tlK-mst'lvcs. Fortunately, tlic-y aix- ini- 

 numc to c-acli otlierV venom, so tlic-se combats 

 ti-rminatc with little ilania,si;(.- on citlicrsitle. The 

 s[)ccimens from Caltutta. ])resented by Thomas 

 Barbour, Esq., are typical in their markings, and 

 show on the "hood" when the same is cxpandctl 

 the staring as]>ect of two large e\es encloseii in 

 spectacles, which peculiar ornamentation has led 

 to the j)opular ajjijellation of ".Siiectacleii Cobra." 

 Two specimens from .'■Sumatra show the varia- 

 bility of tlie markings on the "hood." These 

 are varieties of the tyjjical Indian form, and 

 technically known as Xit/ci /n'piKtians .lemi/asciaUi. 

 Popularly, this form of the hooded snake has 

 been called the Masked Cobra, from the appear- 

 ance of the pattern on the "hood," wiiich 

 resembles a grotesque mask. 



Wfien annoyed, the Cobra literally flies into an 

 upright jiosition, the neck dilating in time to the 

 movement. 'The action is accom]ianied by a sharp 

 hiss, and if a nKjving object be within reasonable 

 distance, the snake strikes immediately. 'The 

 entire series of evolutions are almost synclironous 

 at times. We have never observed these snakes to 

 strike witliout first rising from the ground, or 

 with the neck spread widely. In a wild state, 

 their only warning would be a sharj) hiss, whicli 

 usually acconi|ianies the instant of iirejiaration, 

 but so slight is this tliat unless he who seeks to 

 evade the blow be possessed of lightning-like 

 agility, the damage is ilone before he has time to 

 realize what has happened. 



Among the Old World poisonous snakes, tlie 

 vipers figure prominently. Six vipers are on ex- 

 hibition. These com])rise three species, the 

 smallest of which is tlie English Viper, a snake 

 of pretty pattern and gentle aspect, and the only 

 venomous reptile inhabiting the British Isles. It 

 is found, as well, throughout Europe. In some 



ways this little serpent resendiks the (iround 

 Rattlesnake of the .Southern Cnited States. 



'Tiiree Horned Vipers are oddities f>f the col- 

 lection. Queer in color and provided with a long 

 horn on the snout, their appearance would suggest 

 a hostile nature, wliicli is anything but the case. 



One of the recent arrivals is an African Sand 

 \'iper, brick red in color, thick in body, and 

 witli a heart shaped head that at once suggest its 

 deadliness, Remarkable in many ways is the new 

 arrival. It never crawls forward in undulating 

 fashion, as do other snakes, but travels in a series 

 of bewildering side loops. It prefers to lie buried 

 in the fine sand of its cage, with the exception of 

 its snub nose and fiery red eyes. To bury itself 

 thus, it scoops the sand over its body by flat- 

 tening the latter, by means of a shovel-like mov- 

 ment of its sides. 'Thus it remains in wait for 

 food, its colors blending with the fine sand in 

 wliiih the creature lies. 



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