Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-20

We have been favored, says Chambers Jour
nal with the following details concerning one
of the deadliest of the Indian snakes, the
cobra. by II gentleman who has passed many
years III the East. He says "Ihe cobra de
capello (Naja tripudians), sometimes called
the hooded or spectacle snake, Is the COM
monest, and at the same time the most dread
ed of all the yenomous snakes OF India.
When excited or confronting an enemy 1t
assumes remarkably graceful posture of
defence by raising the fore part Of the body
to n height of perhaps foot and a half from
the ground, and Mt the same moment draw
ing together into Il coil tho remaining por-
ton of its body and tail till it foIms, as 1t
were. II kind of spiral spring, which. aided
by tie elasticity and muscular power of its
frame, enables 1t so soon rs it deems its OPP
ponent to be within range of its stroke TO
launch itself forward with lightning rapidity.
In IN instant the bite is given, which, as We
shall presently see, Is neatly, If not always.
fatal. | believe that the tcobra de capello is
found throughout llindostan, though 1t is iur
more numerous III bomo localities thnn Ill
others. In some Of our Bengal stations
where | have been quartered have not seen
II single cobra nor noticed the trace of one
from one years end to the other; i'll others,
especially during "the rains, hardly week
has passed without several having been seen.
In Bundelcund. especially in the neighbor-
hood of Jhansi and Lullutpore, tho cobra is
unusually common. 1t harbors chiefly in
holes under the foundations and i'll the walls
of old ruined forts and temples i'll honey
combed ant hills, i'll the sides OF o.d wells, or
amid the debris OF fallen buildings and de
serted out-houses particularly where grass
and Jungle have been allowed to grow and
rubbish accumulate. during the day 1t is
rarely seen abroad, but lies cooled up asleep
in its place of conccalment, sallying forth ill
search of food AZ soon ns darkness sets III.
1t prcys chiefly on frogs, toads, rats, young
birds, aud the like. 1t will readily invade II
house i'll quest OF such creatures, and on ell
t,ring room travels round the angles made
by the walls and floor. During the hot
weather months, when, on account OF the
oppressive heat, doors and windows are left
wide open throughout the night, and there is
nothing to bar the entrance Of yrrnin Of all
sorts, 1t IL nothing unusual IN the morning
to find portions of the slou; ii cast oil It's
body by prowliug cobra. Houses with
thatched roofs, particularly old buildings, are
always more frequent,d 10y snakes thnu tiled
dwellings, OF recent construction. 1t Is II
mistake to imagine that the cobra, or. IN
fact. any other kind ol serpent that | am ac-
Quainted with. will ever bite or modest hu-
man beings, unless disturbed, III, ddled with,
on provoked III the tiret instance. On the
contrary, the greater myoniy of snakes ARE
only too glad To bu permitted tn escape and
bent retreat when discovered by man, and
unless driven into corner or followed up
speedily vanish into some old mt-hole or
other hIding-plhcc, without showing, beyond
n threatening hiss, u sign of opposition To.
or desire of retalntng ON, the intruder.
believe that nearly always 1t Is the sense oi
tcnr more than anything else that induces
the cobra, when surprised or touched even
without hurt, instnninnt Ously (" turn and
hite the person who has alarmed IT. lhc
boots and trousers or ~tltrrs usIhily worn 10y
Europeans when out Walking ur shooting M
"a great monsurc protect the w"alrts from tho
teeth ol snakes Natives OF ludlh, uu the
otncr hand, IN spite OF the fearful loss ot
life annually occasloned among them 10y
poisonous snnkcs, appear To- he perfectly eat
luus and indifferent about EunrdnG against
such dangerous creatures, ncHlrcting I" tiL"
even the most ordinary precautions. some
classes sleep upon chnrpoys, or native bed
strnds. but the great majority, especially oi
the poorer orders, sleep On the ground. with
their hcnds wrapped up aud their bodies 'n-
Nolopcd IN II sheet or blanket. \ cobra.
when travelling at night III search ol food,
instead ct clrcllng round. oitep crosses over
the l,rs OF sleeper, the weight aud move
mrut of the reptile pnitally awaken the un-
tuItunnte slumhercr, who. III II hallc"hscious
stntr puts out his hand To discover what hns
disturbed Inn, probably touches the hideJus
intruder, aud Is Immediately bitten.