THE KING COBRA 
37 
caught one a good punch in the ribs, however, and a hand- 
ful of feathers flew out into the air, which must have been 
i very distressing loss to a well - dressed Myna at the 
beginning of the wedding season. 
This same mysterious influence, which is ripening the 
Corrinda and awakening the butterfly, is also developing 
the deadly Nux vomica and revivifying the venomous 
snake, as I was very graphically reminded not long ago. 
I was returning one morning from my walk over an 
undulating, grassy plain, dotted with islands of small 
trees. Never have I seen the wild jasmine more beautiful. 
Suddenly I was met by some men with the news that 
a large python was in a tree not far away. A python, 
if more than five or six feet in length, is too thick and 
strong to be killed with a walking-stick, like cobras and 
other snakes ; but my little collecting gun was in my hand, 
so I followed them at once. When we reached the place 
I found a number of koonbees assembled, talking with bated 
breath, as if in the presence of some great danger. Why 
should they be afraid of a python ? It is not a poisonous 
snake, but one of the Boa constrictor tribe, squeezing its 
prey to death. It lies motionless for hours, or days, or 
weeks if necessary, until some hapless monkey, or jackal, 
