122 
ORPHEUS AT THE ZOO 
with its head drawn back, and slowly rising and 
falling. But it was less apparently sensitive than the 
cobra. The violin suddenly reproduced the sound 
of the bagpipes, which greatly excited the snake ; 
and as the “ drone ” was put on to the tune of “ The 
Keel Row,” its hood expanded to its utmost dimen- 
sions. Soft minor chords were then played, and a 
sudden sharp discord struck without warning. The 
snake flinched whenever this was done, as if it had 
been struck, and this, it may be worth noting, was 
subsequently found to be a general effect of discords 
on most animals of a higher organization. The 
results of these further experiments were naturally 
more easy to detect and record than in the case of 
the snakes ; but it may be taken as established, that at 
the Zoo there are serpents that are not yet deaf to 
the voice of the charmer, even if he lack the training 
of Eastern magicians. 
