A SURGICAL OPERATION 193 



dealing a hard blow. Such snakes can strike one- 

 half their, length, and a six-foot rattlesnake may 

 launch its terrible jaws three feet at the object of its 

 wrath. It happens oftener, however, that the strike 

 of a viperine snake is about a third of its length. 

 Stories of snakes casting themselves bodily in the 

 direction of their anger are entirely erroneous. 



Owing to the great danger attending the handling 

 of the larger venomous snakes, interesting measures 

 are frequently called into play when it is necessary to 

 shift specimens or to treat them for disease or injury. 

 It was with great anxiety that we noticed a small 

 growth appearing on the. king cobra's upper jaw. 

 The lesion grew until it resembled a small abscess, 

 and but one thing was left to do. That was to re- 

 move the growth. As the cobra was very powerful, 

 and represented the most deadly known species of 

 reptUe, the operation presented many difficulties. 

 But it was successfully performed. A coachwhip 

 snake about six feet long was killed and thrown into 

 the cobra's cage. Fortunately the cannibal still re- 

 tained a good appetite. In the meantime the instru- 

 ments, consisting of a pair of surgical scissors, a rub- 

 ber syringe, together with a bowl of disinfecting solu- 

 tion, were made ready. When the coachwhip was 

 half-way down the cobra's throat it was grasped by 

 the tail and pulled toward the door of the cage, 

 bringing with it the cobra, which held on tenacious- 

 ly. By twisting the coachwhip's body the cobra was 

 rolled over on one side and the abscess in the mouth 

 disclosed. The operation was necessarily a quick one. 



