392 
VERTEBEATA. 
Oemis VIPER : Vipera. — This includes tlie Asp, V. aspis, a small species of venomous 
serpent found in the Eui'opean 
Alps. 
THE HOODED SNAKES. 
The Hooded Snakes^ of which 
there are several species, are ar- 
ranged with the Coluhrina by 
some naturalists, but as their 
venom is of the most deadly 
nature, we shall follow Cuvier and 
place them with the Viperina. 
In these the skin about the neck 
is loose, and the ribs of that 
part of the body are capable of 
being- extended and raised, so as 
to dilate the skin into a sort of 
disk, wdiich, from its resemblance 
to a hood,, has given them their 
popular name. 
Genus NAIA : JSfaia. — This 
includes the ISTaia Haje of Africa, probably the Asp or Aspic of Cleopatra ; its color is black- 
ish-browm, with a shining, slaty hue around the head. Its bite is very deadly, and poison is 
distilled from its fangs when it is irritated. One species, the Bpitting- Snake, has the power of 
ejecting its venom to the distance of a few feet. The jugglers of Grand Cairo have the art of 
taming the Haje, and teaching it to dance for the amusement of the people, first, no doubt, de- 
priving it of its fangs. The habit this serpent has of erecting itself when approached, led the 
ancient Egyptians to regard it as the guardian of the places it inhabited. Hence they made 
it the emblem of the divinity which they supposed to protect the world, and accordingly sculj^- 
tured it in their temples, on each side of a globe. It is a curious fact that the jugglers of 
Egypt, at the present day, are accustomed to throw this serpent into a state of catalepsy by 
pressing the nape with the fingers. In this case it becomes stiff" and immovable, Hke a rod. 
Probably the magicians of Egypt, in the contest with looses before Pharaoh, according to 
Exodus vii. 9-12, only performed this trick. 
Other African species of Naia are the N. Hamachatcs and rhomheaia, both resembling the 
preceding, and found at the Cape of Good Hope. 
The Cobra di Capello, that is Adder of the Hood, is a name given by the Portuguese to a 
species common in India and Ceylon, N. trijmdians. It resembles the Haje, but is found from five 
to ten feet long. It is marked on the back of the neck with a figure resembling a pair of spec- 
tacles, whence it is called the Spectacle- SnaTce, and Serpent a lunettes by the French. It is an 
active and deadly species, but the jugglers of India teach it to dance and keep time to music ; 
they also handle it, probably having first extracted its fangs. The Hindoos have many super- 
stitions respecting this serpent, and even believe that the Deity sometimes assumes its form. In 
some of the temples it is an object of worship, being carefully fed Avith milk and sugar by the 
priests. "When thus treated it becomes quite tame. It seems to have a love of music, and will 
often come out of its hole- to listen to a tune on the pipe or flageolet, played by the snake-charm- 
ers. These persons are often employed by the people of India to rid their houses of these sei- 
pents, Avhich is done by enticing them out of their holes by their music, and killing them as soon 
as they appear. In a W'ild state, this species is an object of general dread. The mungoos, or 
moongus, a species of ichneumon, is its deadly enemy, and often destroys it. The following 
account, recently furnished by a British officer in Hindostan, gives a thrilling picture of an in- 
cident of this nature : 
" A short time anterior to the recent mutiny in India, I conmaanded a little detachment of 
THE ASP. 
