* 
804 COLUBER. 
tain pofitions, the giiftening (bales refleft a faint bluifh- 
a(h colour. The interftitial (kin is generally white, and 
the edges of many fcaies being alfo white, makes them 
appear in fpots, and lefs contiguous than they really are. 
The . abdominal (buta are very long ; the fob-caudal 
Iquamae hexagonal: both are of a dull white, freckled 
with dufky (pots. The colours of the fpeftacle-mark are 
bright"; but the orange tint of the interftitial (kin is not 
fo deep, as iirforne other fpecies. After this minute de- 
fcription of the-tamarind cobra de capeilo, it wall be fuf- 
(icient merely to mention a few of the other varieties of. 
the fame ferpent, not hitherto known to naturalifts, and* 
which, therefore, can only be called by fuch names as are 
allotted to them by the Indians. 
Arege nagoo, a cobra capeilo with 189 abdominal fcuta, 
and 60 fub-caudal fquamae. The fpeftacle-mark differs 
fomewhat from the former. The cervical fcuta are re¬ 
markably dark, efpecially five of them. Two black fpots 
on the infide of the hood, which are common to molt of 
the other varieties, are alfo more confpicuous in this. 
Arege is the name of one of the finail grains eaten by 
liorfes in Hindooftan. 
Coo'dum nagoo, a cobra with 187 abdominal fcuta, and 57 
fub-caudal fquamae. The colour in this variety is rather 
darker than that in the others, and the colour of the (kin 
is more yellow ; but the principal diftin&icn is in the 
fpe£tacle-iike mark on the hood, which here conlilts of an 
oblong curved frame, without the ulual black eye of the 
others ; the fkin in the middle being wb-ite,' and the fcaies 
retaining their ordinary yellowifh-brown colour. Should 
this, as pretended by the fiiako-catchers, prove a conftant 
cbarafter, it may perhaps be fufficient to conftitute a va¬ 
riety. Coodum fignifies wheat, among which this viper 
much delights. 
Sankoo nagoo, with 183 abdominal fcuta, and 56 fub cau¬ 
dal fquamae. The chief diftinddion is the plain hood, 
without any mark; and hence this appeals to be the co¬ 
luber coeeus of Dr. Gmeiin. It was conceived by Seba 
to be the female of the cobra de copella fpecies; but one 
brought home by Dr. Ruffell from India, and prefented 
to the late John Hunter, was a male ; and it is certain 
that the fpedlacle-mark on the hood, is found indifferently 
in male and female. This is rarer than the other varie¬ 
ties ; and takes the name fankoo, from a ftiell fo called, 
which is employed for glazing paper. 
Mlogla nagoo, with 192 abdominal fcuta, and 65 fub-cau¬ 
dal fquamae. This has received its name from frequent¬ 
ing the Caldiero hedges. The cervical fcuta are here and 
there fpotted with faint greyifh fpots, and four of the mid¬ 
dle fcuta are entirely of a bluifh-grey. 
Malle nagoo, with 191 abdominal fcuta, and 62 fub-cau¬ 
dal fquamae. The CQiour of this is a lighter brown, and 
the fcuta fire whiter, and lefs fpotted ; but (even of the 
petit oral fcuta a re completely dark. Malle is a name for 
the Arabian jalinine, among which this ferpent is moftly 
found. 
Cumboo nagoo , with 186 abdominal fcuta, and 60 fub-cau¬ 
dal (qi.ainge. Some deviations are obfervable in the fhape 
of the laminae; ail the cervical fcuta are dufky, and the 
trunk bears a ftrong bluifh caft. This feems to be the 
cinereous grey cobra de capeilo of Seba. 
Jonna nagoo, with 189 abdominal fcuta, and 57 fub-cau¬ 
dal fquamae. An orange colour prevails in the fkin of 
the hood: the fcuta of the neck are fpotted with grey, 
and fix of the lower are wholly of a bluifh-grey. Jonna 
is the name of a fmall horfe-grain in India. 
Nalla tas pam, with 186 abdominal fcuta, and 62 fub- 
caudal fquamae. The black on the hood is unuliialiy 
deep, and all the jugular lcuta remarkably dufky : hence 
its name. 
Kijlna nagoo, with 186 abdominal fcuta, and 63 fub-cau¬ 
dal lqu imae. The middle lamina of the three between 
the eyes is remarkably broad, and the poftenor pair lub- 
ovate, not femi-cordate. Five of the jugular fcuta are 
dufky, and fix of the pedtoral ahnoft black. 
Korie nagoo, with 184 abdominal fcuta, and 57 fub-cau¬ 
dal fquamae. The three lamina between the eyes are re- 
inarkably narrow; the large poftenor pair oval. The co¬ 
lour of the trunk, more efpecially of the fcuta, unufually 
bluifh. Dr. Ruffell remarked, that the fpecific diftinc- 
tions fuppofed by the natives, were in general extremely 
vague ; and, fo far as his experiments went, the venomous’ 
power of the reputed varieties of the cobra de capeilo 
were, under the fame circumftances, apparently equal. 
As a ftandard for comparifon with other lerpents, Dr. 
Ruffell never knew its bite prove mortal to a dog, in lefs' 
than twenty-feven minutes; and to a chicken, in lefs than 
half a minute. 
Mr. Pennant informs us, in liis Account of the Ifland 
of Ceylon, that the cobra de capeilo never diftends its 
hood but when it is agitated by fome paffion, fuch as fear 
or rage; it then quits its creeping attitude, raifes the fore 
part of the body a third of its whole length, fpreads its 
hood, and moves its head around, darting a fiery glare to 
every part, often remaining in all other refpe&s im¬ 
moveable; or its motion becomes flow, Heady, and cau¬ 
tious, fo that in India it is confldered as the emblem of 
Prudence ; whence it is held in veneration equal to a- 
deity. The legends of the country are full of flrange 
tales relating to its adiions : they call it uella famboii, or 
the good ferpent; it is often represented twitted round 
their deities, under the name of calengam, in memory of 
a viddory fuppofed to have been gained by one of their 
gods over an enormous naja. 
Dr. Ruffell furnifhes us with the following curious ex¬ 
periments relative to the cobra de capeilo. Mr. Bourchier,. 
governor of Bombay, had more than once made trial of 
the combat between the mangoole, a fpecies of weafel 
called the ichneumon, and the cobra de capeilo ; and irr 
order to prevent the former from having recourfe to any 
herb or other remedy, the experiments were made, not in 
the field, but ctn the terrace it the top oi tne houle. This- 
weafel naturally attacks all lerpents, and when bitten it 
has recourfe to an herb, which is (aid to perforin a cure. 
See Vjverra As loon as the mangoofe perceived the 
fnake, he took his fta ion in front, watching his mqtions j 
and, when .the fnake (truck at him, he eluded the blow, 
by (kipping alertly to one fide ; returning, however, im¬ 
mediate!;. to his'former ftation. After a fhort fkirmifh 
of this kind, r..king ,he opportunity, when he was’fore 
of his mark, he caught the fnake's head in his mouth, 
and bit quite through the fkull. This generally proved 
mortal; but where the fnake did not die immediately, the 
mangoole would bite his tail to provoke him to rife again, 
which fometimes the fnake did ; and then, after fome 
feeble exertions, was fore to be killed by a fecond feizure. 
A nooni paragoodoo ferpent was brought near a cobra 
de capeilo, which had been left at liberty in a large room.. 
The cobra's hood was extended, and he kept his eyes 
fixed on the finail fnake, but without ftriking, till pufh'ed 
very near him, when he (truckbut did not bite. The 
fmall fnake did'not foap in return, but, after remaining 
fome time quiet, moved (lowly off. Being again brought 
dole to the cobra, but rather rudely, he was bitten near 
the tail, though no maiks of teeth could be difeerned. 
After a fhort the nooni glided under the wreaths of the 
cobra, and was permitted to go off quietly', without any 
offer to hurt him as he palled. A very addive mega re- 
kuia poda ferpent, which fnapped at every thing oppofed 
to him, being broughtclofe to the cobra, did not attempt to 
fnap; and, when the cobra was provoked to bite, feemed to 
fub'mit without refiftance. This was the more remarkable, 
as he continued to foap at every thing elfe, and feemed 
to fpring from the ground in eagernefs to attack. It 
did not appear that the fangs had added, and the bite 
was attended with no confequence. The next fobjedt 
oppofed to the cobra, was a gedi paragoodoo ferpent, 
which, in all its movements'was much tamer than either 
of the former two, and feemed lolely intent on efcaping 
out of the room, or retreating into a dark corner. When 
pufhed roughly on the cobra, and conlequenfly ftruck by 
him, he made no refiftance,nor flapped in return; he did 
1 ■ * not 
