The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-02-04
\ morroosc ero = conn. r,s,,,re.

AZ the present time, when the proposed
Introduction NJ Tho mougoose into Australia vs. under
discussion perhaps the following extract nom the
Lffs"rc Hour. October, 1870, describing o comba
hctwccn ono ~ those animals and q cobra may prove
interesting TO some of your rctdets. report OF the
hcht " Is stated. was sent 10 tho Madras newspapers,
signed by several Indian ofncers who were eyc-wit-
nesseq, aud dated Tfiohinop0ly July 10, 1893. " Is
as tollow1 The mongoose approached the, cobra
Tho cobra, with head erect and body vibrating,
watched his opponent with evident signs on being
aware ~ how deadly IN enemy he had to contend
WIN. The mongoosc was soon wlthinca striking
distance NJ the snake, who, suddenly throwing back
bis head, struck ut the mougooso with tremendous
force. Tho nungOoge, quick rs thought, Fprang
back out VI roach, tutoring AZ the same time savage
grows. Ngalu the hooded reptile rose on the deten-
slvc, land the muugoose nothing dauntcd by the
dlstendod Jaws and earng eyes " his antagonist,
approached so near to tho suakc that he was forced
not rcllsning such close ntoNimlty, TO draw MS
head back considerably, This lessened his distance
from the ground. The mungouse, vt once SELLING the
advantageous opportunity, spranE ~ the conia
head aud appeared 10 inlet ~ VOL rs Ia receive
wound. Again the combatnnts put themselves ~ y
position u renew the encounter; again The snake
struck vt his willy opponent, AMI again the l'ttci
agility saved him. II would 10 tedious TO recount In
further detail tho particulars Of about dozen sue
cessivo rounds ut the eud NJ which time neither COM
bataut seemed 10 suffer more than tho other. The
light had lasted some three quarters of an hour, and
both cOmhaians seemed now TO nerve themselves Tor
the iua encounter The COBRA changing hts position
OF defense for that Ot attack, advanced ana seemed
determined to do " die. Slowly on his watch
fn enemy the cobra advanced; with equal courage
inc tnOnguuSO awaited Inc NuNaNcO O MS SUI uuNd-
qulshcd Zoe. The Cobra had approached 50 close
that the mOngOose twlo, owing to want ot space be-
hind, unable to spring out NJ reach by Jumping
backward, as " had done In previous encuunetsl
nimbly bounded straight up III the air. The cobra
missed his object aud struck the ground under him.
Immediately on the mongO0se alIghting the cobra,
quick thought struck again and, to all appearance
fixed his fangs In the head OF the mongoose. The
mnngnjsc as the cobra was Withdrawing his head
after he had inflicted the bite instantly retaaed 10y
fixing his teeth In the head ~ the cobra. This
seemed to convince the cobra that he was no match
for his fierce and watchfu Antagonist; and now, ne
longer exhibiting head erect and DEFIANT eye, hc
unfOldcd his coils aud ignomlniously skunk away.
Instantly the muugoOse was on his tetteang Toe aud
buryng his teeth IN his brain at once ended the con
test. Tho mUngpuse now set to work 10 devour ms
victim, aud In few minutes hal eaten the head aud
two three Inches OF the body, Including the venom
So dreaded by all. We should have mentioned before
that previous 10 this encounter the snake had struck
fowl, which died within half an hour after the In
Fiction ~ tie bite showing beyond doubt its cnpa
bility Of nhlcting deadly wound. After the mon
goose had satisfied Ills appetite we proceeded TO ex
anime with pocket lens the wounds that he had re-
ceivcd from the COBRA and on washing away the bloot
from one ~ these places the eus disclosed the bro
ken fang of the cobra deeply Embedded In the head Of
the munguuso. We have had the mongOose confined
ever Since (now four days ago, and " Us now a'
healthy and lively as eyer.n This aneCdote Lends
strong confirmation to the theory that the mongOost
Is uniniured Ivy the venom Ut poisonous snakes, -
| Iettsr IN The London Standard.