The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-12-29
AN EIGHrEEN.INcH DEATH.
rho Most Malignant and Deadly Creature
I'm the World.

lLondon Telegraph
A recent arrival at the Geological So
ciety's Garden at Regents Park deserves
special notice, apart from the fact that
il is the first Of its species known TO have
been brought to England. 1t is snake,
called the echis cGriRdtd, about a foot
and half long, and Of a dingy gray
Yet, although in Appearance neither
interesting nor formidable, it il tho
deadliest of created things. This de
testable little worm, which, looking at 1t,
the spectator might make bold to say he
could initiate very passably in cork and
putty, is, nevertheless, one OF the mira
cles and masterpieces of nature, for 1t IS
death itself, and carries in It's tiny head
the secret of destroying life with the
sudden rapidity of lightning and the
concentrated agony OF all poisons. Inc
echis comes 10 us from India, where 1t ls
tolernbly common, being found IN nearly
every part of the peninsula, and feared
wherever found as the incarnation oil
instant and terrible destruction. For
| tunately, however, for man, 1t Is not
like the cobra and the korait, house
! frequenting snake, for it's tiny size would
| give il terrible advantage over human
! beings who live crowded together, as the
natives of India do, in small darkene9
rooms, while its aggressive habits Woulu
make it infinitely more fatal TO NE th'rl
its dreaded relatives. For this KING OF
the asps. this modern basiisk, IS not
only venomous beyond conception, bu5
s actively offensive. 1t does not turn 10
escape from man, as the cobra wiz, OF
flash into concealment, like tho korait,
Inf conscious. perhaps, of its deadliness,
deliberately keeps the path against its
human assailant, and, putting its own
eighteen inches of length against his
bnlk. challenges and provokes the con-
flict. A stroke with whip will cut It IN
two. or n clod of earth disable 1t; but
such is its malignity that 1t will invite
attack by every device at its command
stakino his own life on the mere chance
of his adversary coming within the little
circle of his power. At most, the radius
Of this circle is twelve inches, but within
n Mt any point. lies certain death, and
on tbe bare hope OF hand or foot trespass-
inc within its reach, the echis throws IT'S
body into n figure-of-eight coil, and at
tracing attention by rubbing It's loops
together, which, from the roughness Oh
the scales (hence the epithet cdrindtd),
makes n rustling, kissing sound, erect
= its head and awaits attack. NO one nav
ing ever encountered this terrible worm
can ever forget its truculent aspect whei
J thus aroused, its eagerly aggressive Mi
it's restless coils, which IN constant mo
= ton one over the other, ana rlStlu
ominously all the while, stealthily bu
! surely bringing it nearer and nearer q
! the object OF its fury; the eye mnignan
even beyond those of other vipcrs, am
tben the inconceivable rapidity OF 1t
q stroke. For the echis does not want Z
strike until it is within striking distance
s but vents its malice in repeatedly drtm
y at nothing, hoping, perhaps, to nggra
waite its antagonist into coming to close
|, quarters. or, moro probably as mer
It expression Of it's own incontronaoi
u yiciouRness.