NATURAL IMMUNITY OF CERTAIN ANIMALS 



225 



I endeavoured to determine the limit of tolerance of the mon- 

 goose with respect to venom. Two of these animals, which had 

 never been inoculated, received doses of venom respectively four 

 times and six times lethal for the rabbit. The first mongoose 

 remained perfectly well ; the second was ill for two days, and then 

 recovered. A third mongoose, into which I injected a dose eight 

 times lethal for the rabbit, succumbed in twelve hours. 



Fig. 89. — Mongoose seized by a Cobra. 



(For this illustration I am indebted to the kindness of M. Claine, late French Consul 



at Rangoon.) 



It must be concluded from these facts that the AVest Indian 

 mongoose is but little sensitive to venom ; that it is capable of 

 withstanding, without malaise, doses which are considerable in pro- 

 portion to its size, but that its immunity is far from being absolute. 

 If it is generally the victor in its combats with poisonous snakes, 

 the result is mainly due to the extreme agility with which it is 

 endowed. 

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