Reptiles. 3659 



with four Cobras. Very soon one of the snakes seized a sparrow, and while in the act 

 of swallowing the bird, a second snake, instead of attacking the sparrows that were hop- 

 ping about the cage in all directions, seized the first by the head, and compelled him 

 to disgorge the bird. Notwithstanding the struggles and twistings of the first snake 

 to extricate himself from the jaws of the second, he was held fast by his antagonist, who 

 speedily began to devour him. The first snake, while in the other's jaws, seemed by 

 his wiiggling and twisting, rather to be assisting himself down the throat of the se- 

 cond than endeavouring to get free. He was rapidly disappearing, but was rescued as 

 soon as observed : about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes would have been quite 

 sufficient for the second to have accomplished the feat of swallowing his companion in 

 captivity. Two keepers laid hold of the snakes, and gradually drew the one out of the 

 jaws of the other, which also assisted to disgorge his prey. When liberated, the snake 

 that had been swallowed appeared a little mystified and astonished at the process he 

 had undergone, but soon recovered his usual vigour, and was ready and willing in his 

 turn to make a meal off either of his companions. When the sparrows are first put into 

 the cage, the Cobras are generally a good deal excited and very fierce, striking at their 

 own species rather than taking the sparrows: the snakes that are struck at avoiding the 

 bite by continually bobbing their heads out of each other's way, and evidently being 

 afraid of each other. Sometimes two snakes will at the same time seize upon a third, 

 the one taking hold of his head, and the other of the middle of his body, both endea- 

 vouring to swallow the same snake, and obstinately retaining their hold; the twistings 

 and struggles of the three snakes closely knotted together being a highly curious spec- 

 tacle. The sparrows seldom show any signs of fear of the Cobras, unless they are 

 struck at and missed, when they become more shy of their deadly enemies. It appears 

 singular that the Cobras should exhibit more inclination to devour one of their own 

 species, than to make a meal of the sparrows : it is probable that in a wild state, when 

 they have seized a bird, a frog, or any other living creature, they get out of each other's 

 way to devour it, so that then there is but little chance of their devouring one of their 

 own species. In confinement, this disposition to swallow each other was seldom mani- 

 fested, except when the Cobras were roused by living food being put into their cage, 

 and then, as soon as one of them had seized a bird, the others generally attacked the 

 captor ; and although there was not much difference in the size of the snakes, it was 

 most frequently the larger ones that attacked the smaller. The Cobra will in most 

 cases swallow a bird head foremost, the wings being in the way of his taking it in any 

 other manner; but a frog they will swallow in any position : this is done by repeatedly 

 gulping down the prey, and not by drawing it in by the slow process habitual to the Boa 

 constrictor, neither does the Cobra enfold the object in its embrace. They often go 

 without food for several weeks, and sometimes for months together; but it is better for 

 them to eat once in a week or a fortnight. While in a healthy state the Cobras gene- 

 rally lie together in a heap, with their heads mostly hidden under their folds, and out 

 of each other's way : sometimes they will recline on the branches of the trees that are 

 placed in the cases for that purpose. When they are in a declining state, and near 

 their death, they will mostly lie apart from the others. They shed or slough their skins 

 every few weeks when healthy : as the skin gets old the snakes look darker, and are 

 less active, they likewise see but imperfectly, for the skin completely covers the eyes. 

 When they are shedding their skin they are continually on the move, rubbing it off 

 between the folds of their body, or against the branches of a tree. It greatly assists 

 them at times to immerse them in warm water, as it eases the skin off sooner. It is 



