60 VENOMS 



Six or seven large supralabial shields, sixth or seventh in con- 

 tact vs^ith the lower postocular. Eyes separated from the labial 

 shields by the suboculars. 191 — 214 ventral scales ; 53 — 64 sub- 

 caudal s. 



Colour yellowish, olive, or uniform black ; belly yellowish ; black 

 or brown band on the neck ; head sometimes blackish. 



Total length, 1,180 miUimetres ; tail 290. 



Habitat : Borders of the Sahara, Egypt, Southern Palestine, 

 Bast Africa as far south as Mozambique. 



Naja haje (the Egyptian Cobra) is common throughout the Nile 

 Basin, the Sudan and Central Africa. Livingstone mentions it 

 several times. In Egypt it is met with in the vicinity of ruined 

 monuments, under the large blocks of stone or among brushwood. 



The Egyptians are greatly in dread of it, and hunt it down as 

 often as possible. When pursued, N. haje turns bravely and faces 

 its adversary, raising itself upon its tail, puffing out its neck and 

 hissing fiercely. If too hard pressed it strikes at its enemy. 



"A friend of mine," writes Anderson, "had great difficulty in 

 escaping from one of these snakes. While botanising one day a 

 Naja passed quite close to him. My friend darted backwards with 

 all speed, but the Naja pursued and was about to attack him, when 

 he stumbled against an ant-hill and fell flat on his back. This, no 

 doubt, frightened the snake, which disappeared in a twinkling." 



Another case of the same kind is narrated by Waller, who 

 writes: "A young girl met with her death in a truly dramatic 

 fashion. She was walking behind some porters on a narrow path, 

 when suddenly an Aspic came out of a thick bush, attacked and bit 

 her in the thigh ; in spite of all efforts to save her the unfortunate 

 girl died in less than ten minutes." This instance, which is abso- 

 lutely authentic, proves the truth of the statements made by various 

 travellers. Natives assert that a full-grown Naja invariably pursues 

 either a man or an animal, however large, when either passes 

 within its range (Brehm). 



