COLUBEIIs^E SNAKES. 71 



" hood " on tlie nape, the ribs which support this hood being much 

 elongated. Two species are commonly recognised, the Cobra di 

 capella of Southern Asia [Naja tripudians), and the Asp (iV. haje) 

 of Africa ; but there are marked local varieties of both species, 

 and the N. spututrix of the ilalay countries should probably be 

 recognised as a third species. Those of India, with Ceylon, have a 

 mark like a pair of spectacles upon the hood, while those of Burmah 

 and the neighbouring countries eastward have only an oval black 

 spot upon it. In India the commonest colour of tliis formidable 

 reptile is uniform brown, though many are of a pale yellowish 

 straw colour, and there are others of everj^ shade between that and 

 black. It grows to a length of about five feet, seldom more. 

 " Almost every writer on the natural productions of the East 

 Indies," remarks Dr. Giinther, " has contributed to the natural 

 history of this Snake, wliicli has been surrounded by such a 

 number of fabulous stories, that their repetition and contradiction 

 v.'ould fill a volume." It is very generally ditfuscd over the 

 Indian region, though, as ^Ir. Theobald notices, from its nocturnal 

 habits it is less often seen than many harmless species. " This 

 iSnake is, I believe," he adds, " of inoffensive habits, unless 

 irritated, but is, of course, a dangerous neighbour to have in a 

 house.* jNTot only in Burmah, whei'e the respect for animal life i^ 

 greatest, but in India also I have known a Cobra enticed or forced 

 into an earthen jar, and then caii'ied by two men across a river, of 

 some distance from the village, and liberated. Dr. Giinther 

 remarks that, ' siiigvilarly enough, it has never been obtained in 

 the valley of Xepal.' This is verj^ easily accounted for," 'con- 

 tinues Mr. Theobald, " since few would venture to kill a Cobra, 

 even for scientific purposes, in the rigorously Hindu state of 

 Nepal. In British India, decent Hindus will not kill a-,Cobra ; 

 and if one has taken ujd his abode in a house, he is' jjei'mftted to 

 remain, or else carefully inveigled into an earthen-pot, and carried 

 away as described. Uf course only the orthodox Hindu is so 

 careful to abstain from injuring the Cobra, and their reverential 



* Although the Cabrti di capella is so plentiful in Tudia, we could never hear of 

 one instance of a European being stung liy one during a residence of more than 

 twenty-one years in that country. They piey chiefly on Eats, the presence of which 

 is the attraction which brings them about human habitations ; and they also prey 

 occasioually upon young chickens, and commonlj' upon Toads, — E]j. 



