118 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
fiercely, and was witli difficulty made to let go his hold. The 
puncture drew blood; for some minutes the Fowl not affected. 
At 5.4 crouching; seems uneasy. 5.7.— 1 Quite lively when roused. 
5.8.—Drowsy; eyes closed; head began to droop. 5.12.— 
Very drowsy ; head and wings drooping; crouches; head falls 
over ; rests on point of beak. 5.14.—Cannot stand ; dies motion¬ 
less. 5.45.—Convulsed. 5.55.—Dead—in fifty-nine minutes. 
The bite on this occasion was very vigorously inflicted. 
These three experiments show how dangerous this snake is. 
This is the third animal it has destroyed in one day, and is 
apparently as vigorous as ever, and it is quite a small specimen. 
Blood removed one hour after death. Examined at 8 a.m., 
8th July.—Dark grumous fluid, with an imperfect coagulum. 
Experiment No. 4. 
A Fowl was bitten in the thigh by a young “ Grokurrah” 
(Spectacled Cobra) at 4.59 ; the snake hit very fiercely ; the 
Fowl became drowsy immediately. 5.3.—Drooping; head 
fallen over. 5.4.—Parlaysed. 5.6.—Convulsed. o.7 Dead. 
Blood removed one hour after death. Examined at 8 a.m., 
8tli July.—The quantity was very small, and it had dried, but 
it appeared to have, as the attendants said it had, formed a 
firmer coagulation, and of more florid colour than the blood of 
the animals killed by the Krait. 
July 8 th, 1870. 
Experiment No. 5. 
A Pariah Dog was bitten by a half-grown “ Gokurrah,” in the 
thigh at 1.2 p.m. 1.4.—Is lame on bitten leg. 1.8.—Lies down. 
].50.—Very lethargic. 1.55.—Salivation and frothing at the 
mouth. 1.59.—Convulsed ; deep and hurried breathing. 2.6.— 
Convulsed. 2.14.—Dead—in one hour and twelve minutes. 
Some blood was removed in one hour after death from the 
great vessels. It formed a firm bright red coagulum, very 
different in appearance from the blood of the Dog killed by the 
Krait. I examined it at 6 p.m., and found it in this condition. 
It was neutral, as shown by blue litmus paper. After examina¬ 
tion under the microscope, Dr. Cunningham gives the following 
sketch and remarks :— 
“ Clots firm, very dark with distinct masses of white cor¬ 
puscles ; serum neutral, reddish from abundance of free un¬ 
altered red corpuscles'; white cells normal.” 
The following experiments made with OpJnophagus daps , Naja 
tripudians, Bungarus fasciatus, and Bungarus ccsruleus, w r ere tor 
the purpose of examining the condition of the blood after death 
from the poison of those snakes. 
July 9 th, 1870. 
Present, Drs. Fayrer, N. Chevers, and D. Cunningham. 
Experiment No. 6. 
A Pariah Dotr, of about ten months old, was bitten in 
the thigh by a “ Gokurrah (Spectacled Cobra), about half- 
grown, and that was partially exhausted by biting in previous 
experiments. This snake was purposely selected in order that 
the poison might be less active, and life not so quickly 
destroyed, with the view of allowing time for the blood to become 
thoroughly affected by the poison. 
The Dog was bitten at 12.3 p.m. 12.20.—Dog is restless. 
12.32.—Staggers when he walks; frothing at the mouth; is 
partially paralysed; breathing hurried. 12.35.—Falls over, is 
convulsed. 12.45.—Convulsed; involuntary evacuations. 12.47. 
—Dead—in forty-four minutes. 
The blood was removed from the great vessels half an hour 
after death; neutral to litmus paper, and rapidly formed a firm 
clot. 
Experiment No. 7. 
A small Pariah Dog, pup, bitten in the thigh by an Ophio- 
phagus elaps, over eleven feet in length, at 12.15 p.m. The Dog was 
affected at once, jumped, staggered, and then sat down. 12.16.—■ 
Hurried breathing. 12.17.—Paralysed, cannot stand. 12.18.— 
When raised, supports himself for a moment on his legs with 
the nose resting on the ground, and then falls over. 12.19.— 
Convulsed. 12.21.—Bespiratory movements have ceased; 
heart’s heats still felt. 12.22.—Dead—in seven minutes. 
Blood removed half an hour after death ; reaction neutral ; 
coagulated at once into a firm clot. It is not of so natural a 
red as is the clot of the blood of the Dog killed by the Cobra. 
* 
Experiment No. 8. 
A young Dog was bitten in the thigh by the same Krait 
(Bungarus cceruleus ) that hit the Dog in Experiment No. 2, at 
12.7 p.m. 12.45.—Seems sluggish. 1.10.—Sluggish ; no other 
change. 1.13.—Bitten again by the same Krait in the thigh. 
1.22.—Sluggish; sits with the head drooping. 1.40.—Seems 
drowsy, but is easily roused. 2.5.—Almost paralysed, cannot 
stand, the legs fail, and he sinks down when raised on his feet. 
2.15.—Involuntary defecation. 2.17.—Convulsed. 2.19.—- 
Respiration has ceased; heart still beats. 2.20.—Heart still 
felt. 2.22.—Dead—in two hours and fifteen minutes. 
The blood was removed an hour after death. In this case it 
clotted, and was not discoloured as in the case of the first Dog 
killed by the same Krait. 
The rigor mortis occurred in less than an hour. There was 
no extraordinary rapidity in decomposition of the body, though 
the weather was very hot and damp. 
Experiment No. 9. 
A Fowl was bitten in the thigh by the same Krait at 
12.24 p.m. 12.35.—Drowsy. 12.58.—Eyes closing, begins to 
droop. 1.10.—Legs weak, crouches. 1.15.—Droops its head. 
1.20.—Head fallen over, resting on point of beak. 1.25.— 
Quite paralysed; slow deep breathing. 1.40.—Convulsed. 
2.12.—Dead—in one hour and forty eight minutes. 
This little snake is two feet seven inches in length, and one 
inch and three-fourths in circumference, but it is very deadly, as 
these experiments prove; it has since the 7th July killed two 
Dogs and three Fowls; the action of the poison is slower, 
hut it appears to be as fatal as that of the Cobra. 
During the last two days the Krait has cast its cuticle, and 
now shows its markings beautifully—the dark brown, almost 
black, distinct white rings, with a pearly white abdomen. 
Rigor mortis was complete in this Fowl in forty-five minutes 
after death. Decomposition was not more rapid than in death 
from ordinary causes. 
There was no evidence of decomposition at 1 a.m., notwith¬ 
standing the great heat and humidity of the atmosphere. 
Experiment No. 10. 
A Dog, about six months old, was bitten in the thigh by a 
full-grown Bungarus fasciatus at 11.59 a.m. 12.45 p.m. — No 
