SPECTACLE SNAKE. 411 



tinged with pale brown, or yellow: the tail, which 

 is of moderate length, tapers gradually, and ter- 

 minates in a slender, sharp-pointed extremity. 



This formidable reptile has obtained its Portu- 

 guese title of Cobra de Capello or hooded snake from 

 the appearance which it presents when viewed in 

 front in an irritated state, or when preparing to 

 bite ; at which time it bends the head rather 

 downwards, and seems hooded, as it were, in some 

 degree, by the expanded skin of the neck. In 

 India it is every where exhibited publicly as a 

 show, and is, of course, more universally known 

 in that country than almost any other of the race 

 of reptiles. It is carried about in a covered basket^ 

 and so managed by its proprietors as to assume, 

 when exhibited, a kind of dancing motion ; rais- 

 ing itself up on its lower part, and alternately 

 moving its head and body from side to side for 

 some minutes, to the sound of some musical in- 

 strument which is played during the time. The 

 Indian jugglers, Avho thus exhibit the animal, first 

 deprive it of its fangs, by which means they are 

 secured from the danger of its bite. 



Dr. Russel, in his account of experiments made 

 in India W'ith this serpent, observes, that, as a ge- 

 neral standard for a comparison of the etfect of its 

 bite with tliat of other poisonous serpents, he 

 never knew it prove mortal to a dog in less than 

 twenty-seven minutes, and to a chicken in less 

 than half a minute. Tbus, fatal as it is, its poi- 

 son seems not so speedy in operation as that of 



