ORDER OPHIDIA. 377 



eties, in fact, of this species are very numerous in India, and 

 are distinguished by the inhabitants under many different 

 names. Most of them are figured, and characterized in the 

 admirable work of Russell. 



It rarely happens that any one who has been bitten by a 

 naja escapes death. In the moment of anger, this serpent 

 unrolls himself, erects his body, moves with velocity his spark- 

 ling eyes, swells his neck, opens his mouth, and darts upon his 

 enemy. Russell has made numerous experiments on this spe- 

 cies, from which it appears that the bite of this singular 

 reptile will kill dogs sometimes in seven-and-twenty minutes, 

 and pullets in a minute and a half. The symptoms mani- 

 fested by the dogs are plaintive cries, difficulty of sustaining 

 themselves on their legs, impossibility of walking, agitation, 

 tremblings, hard breathing, convulsive motions, paralysis of 

 the hinder limbs, a stupor, and death following in general 

 about twenty minutes, though sometimes this does not happen 

 for some hours. 



The same observer caused several pullets to be bitten by 

 the cobra di capello. Concentrated sulphuric acid having 

 been applied on the wound, the subjects of the experiment 

 perished much sooner than those which had been bitten at 

 the same time, and on Avhose wounds this caustic had not 

 been applied. 



A pig was bitten by the same reptile in the internal part 

 of the thigh. During the first ten minutes it experienced 

 no sensible effect ; but after this it lay down, its respiration 

 became laborious, convulsions followed, and it died in an hour 

 after being bitten. 



The effects produced on man by the bite of the cobra di 

 capello, appear to be almost in all respects the same as 

 those which we have already detailed in our accounts of the 

 crotalus and the vipers. It is, therefore, unnecessary to 

 repeat them, but we shall say a few words on the mode of 



