The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-16
BIOLOGICAL PUGILIsM

A Fight Between Monaoose and a Cobra.
The following account of fight be-
tween mongoose and cobra, is from
late number of the Nature, and appears
in letter from Mr.. r. Reed, dated at
Ratnapura, in Ceylon. The mongoose
does not belong, of course, to the Anser
or goose family, but is nocturnal MANI
NAL, nearly allied to the monkey. He is
much smaller, however, than the monkey,
and differs from him entirely in his facial
characteristics, his muzzle being long,
sharp and fox-like. He is very active
animal, and feeds ON birds, insects and
fruit. He belongs to the family of Lem
ares; is native of Madagascar and the
neighboring islands, and is considered the
natural enemy of the cobra. The writer
says: ....... ...-
The snake was large cobra, four feet
ten and a half inches in length, the most
formidable cobra | have seen. He was
turned into an enclosed room, or veranda,
about twenty by twelve feet, and at once
coiled himself up, head erect, about ten or
twelve inches from the ground, and began
to hiss loudly. The mongoose was.a small
one of its kind, very tame and kind, but ex-
ceedingly active. When the mongoose
was put into the rectangle it seemed scarce
ly to notice the cobra but the latter, on
the contrary, appeared at once to recognize
its enemy. 1t became excited and no
longer seemed to pay any attention
to the bystanders, but kept con-
stantly looking at the mongoose.
The mongoose began to go round
and round the enclosure, occasionally VEN
turing up to the cobra, apparently quite
unconcerned. Some eggs being laid upon
the ground it rolled them near the cobra
| and began to suck them. Occasionally it
left the eggs and went up to the cobra,
within an inch of its neck, as the latter
reared up but when the cobra struck out
| the mongoose was away with extraordinary
activity. AT length the mongoose began to
bite the cobra's tail, and it looked as if the
| fight would commence in earnest. Neither,
| however, seemed anxious for close quar-
| tiers, so the enclosure was narrowed.
| The mongoose then began to give the
| cobra some very severe bites, but the
| cobra after some fencing forced the mon
goose into corner, and struck it with full
strength on the upper part of the hind leg.
We were sorry for the mongoose, as but
| for the enclosure it would have escaped.
| 1t was clear that on open ground the cobra
| could not have bitten it at all while it was
the policy of the mongoose to exhaust the
cobra before making close attack. The
bite of tho cobra evidently caused the mon
goose great pain, for it repeatedly stretched
out its leg and shook it, as if painful,
| for some minutes. The cobra seemed
/ exhausted by its efforts, and putting
down its head tried hard to escape and
kept itself in corner. The mongoose
then went up to it and drew it out, by
swapping at its tail, and when it was out
began to bite its body, while the cobra
| kept turning round and round, striking des-
| perately at the mongoose, but in vain.
| When this had continued for some time the
mongoose came at length right out in front
| of the cobra, and, after some lodging and
fencing, when the cobra was in the act OF
mongoose, to the surprise of all, made q
sudden spring at the cobra and bit it in the
inside Of the upper jaw about the
fang, and instantly jumped back again.
Blood flowed in large drops from the
| mouth Vi lllt. CODId, anu IL Setlile'l
much weakened. 1t was easy now to see
the fight would end, as the mongoose be-
came more eager for the struggle. 1t con-
tinued to bite the body of the cobra. going
round it as before, and soon came again in
front and bit it second time in the upper
jaw, when more blood flowed. This con-
tinued for some time, until at last, the CO.
bra being very weak, the mongoose caught
its upper jaw firmly, and, holding down.ts
head, began to crunch it. The cobra, how.
ever, being very strong one, otter
got up again and tried feebly to strike
the mongoose; but the latter now bit it,
head and body as it pleased. and when thu
cobra became motionless and dead, the
mongoose left it and ran to the Jungle. TIL,
natives said that the mongoose went to thu
Jungle to eat some leaves to cure itself
We did not wish to prevent it, and we ex
pected it would die, as it was severely bit
ten. In the evening, some hours aftel
the fight, it returned, apparently quit,
well, and is now quite as well as ever
It follows either that the bite of co
bra is not fatal to a mongeose, or that ;
mongoose manages somehow to cure itself