SNAKES OF CEYLON. 4:65 



the scale rows are widely separated, and as the hood marks 

 are almost entirely confined to the skin, they become very 

 conspicuous. The curious poise adopted can be sustained for 

 a considerable time, certainly many minutes if sufficient 

 stimulus is offered and continued. Whilst poised with 

 expanded hood the snake sways restlessly forwards and 

 backwards, and can be made to bend backwards to an extra- 

 ordinary degree before losing its equilibrium. It hisses in a 

 fierce explosive manner whilst erect, and I have carefully 

 observed caged specimens at this time. I noticed that 

 hissing occurs both during inspiration and expiration. The 

 inspiratory is the shorter act, and its note higher pitched than 

 the expiratory. It is quavering in quality, reminding one of a 

 knife on a grindstone. The expiratory effort is the longer, 

 louder, and lower-pitched, and intermittently explosive in 

 character. The tongue is emitted during both inspiration and 

 expiration. The throat is very distinctly pouched during 

 both acts, but is far more marked during expiration. The 

 inflation extends as far forwards as the chin shields. Whilst 

 erect the snake inflates its body independently of its hood 

 action, and the inflation affects nearly the whole body length, 

 declining posteriorly till finally lost a few inches before the 

 vent in an adult. 



The cobra's effective striking range is a very limited one. 

 I believe the erection of its forebody and the expansion of its 

 hood are invariable preliminaries, and the height to which 

 it can erect itself forms the radius of its stroke. This radius 

 when the snake is erect is very deceptive, appearing much 

 greater than it proves to be when measured along the ground 

 on the completion of its stroke. Jugglers from long practice 

 estimate this range wonderfully, and contrive to evade their 

 captive's menace, with remarkable precision, withdrawing 

 their hands, often only a few inches, from the spot where the 

 stroke is delivered. 



The bite is often a mere snap of the jaws, and the bitten part 

 immediately released, but sometimes the snake will fasten 

 itself tenaciously, necessitating a forcible opening of the jaws 

 to effect release. Mr. Donaghy told me of an incident wit- 

 nessed by him where a young sampwalla was bitten, and the 



