REPTILE HOUSE 



in the corner leading into the water-viper's case. The 

 water-viper appeared to have lately fed and to be well 

 filled out, and I had some misgivings that the lost cobra, 

 in creeping through the mouse-hole, had been caught and 

 swallowed by the water-viper. 



The fear, coupled with the anxiety of thinking that so 

 dangerous a serpent as a cobra was at liberty, caused me 

 to determine to settle the question at once. I had the 

 water- viper killed, and, upon examination, found the nearly 

 digested cobra, which was a great relief to me and all the 

 others. 



183 



