82 NAJA VULGARIS. 



By the natives of Tndia the bite of this animal is regarded as 

 almost immediately fatal. The experiments of Dr. Russel, how- 

 ever, show that it seldom proves fatal to chickens in less than half 

 an hour, and to dogs in less than an hour and ten minutes. The 

 poison was also observed to cause less violent convulsions in the 

 animals subjected to its influence than that of the Cobra di Capello, 

 and another highly poisonous Indian snake, called Katuka Rekula 

 Poda (Vipera Russell li) ; but produced a greater degree of 

 stupor. 



XV. 



NAJA VULGARIS. 



Spectacled, or Hooded Snake. 



Gen. Char. Scales larger on the body near the head ; 

 head covered with large plates ; hind-head furnished 

 with a hood ; poison fangs in the upper jaw. 



Spec. Char. Body ferruginous yellow ; neck capable 

 of inflation, and marked above by white delineations, 

 with black edges, ih the form of spectacles. 



Serpens Indicns coronatus ; Raii, Syn.Scrp. p. 330. Serpens Naja Siamensis, cum 

 conspicillo, sen Cobra de Capello vel Cabelo dictus •, Seba. Thes. ii. t. 99. f. 1« 

 Serpens Indices coronatus, &c. Seba, ii. t. 99, f. 2. Coluber Naja ; Lin. Syst. 

 Nat. p. 382 ; Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 409. t. 107. Naja lulescens ; Laurenti, St/n. 

 Rep.\t.dl. Nagoo ; Russel, In d. Serp. p. 7.t. 5 and G. La Vipere & lunettes, 

 oole Naja; Baud. Rept. vi. p. 62, t. 60, f. 1,2, and t. 71. 



The Cobra di Capello, or Hooded Snake, is a native of India, 

 where it appears to be one of the most common, and most 

 noxious, of those malignant reptiles, whose bite, in the hotter 

 regions of the globe, proves the cause of a painful and speedy 

 death. Among the serpents of the East this species holds the 

 most conspicuous place ; it is generally regarded of all others 



