The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-29
TWO BIG CO1RAS.
The First Ever Brought Alive to
This Country.
From the Philadelphia Press.

AhAH country
From the Philadelphia Press.
The first living cobra ever brought to
this country was placed on exhibition
yesterday at the geological garden. The
mate to this mephistopheles of serpents.
this most poisonous and terrible of all its
ilk, will be taken from the box in which
they made the long journey here from ms
dfa, and be placed in the adjoining cage
In the reptile house to-day.
For over twenty years the directors of
the ZOO have tried to get u cobra, but
were never able to do so. No money
could obtain one and no one could be
persuaded to so over to the wilds of In
dia especially for that purpose. The final
success OF their efforts in this line, there,
fore, caused quite stir at the garden
yesterday, and the rare and curious reptila
was surveyed by big crowd all day LONG
These cobras are easily the most i'm
portant addition ever made to 1.-THE ZOO
since its foundation. The London gardens
have specimen, but il cannot comparc
with those just received here
1t is particularly gratifying to the d.
rectors that the two sRailpsNare unusually
fine specimens. The one which is on ex-
hibition Is six feet long and about three
inches in thickness. It's color Is WORTH
study, for it almost shows the snakes
age, as the teeth of a horse do. At the
tip of the tail the scaly skin ig black a.
the ace of spades. Farther up II becomes
hecked with spots Of, olive green not
Systematically but recklessly. These
spots grow less numerous but much larg-
er and more Systematically arranged as
the center is neared. Gradually the green.
which was but a dot, becomes more and
more pronounced untii the middle is reach
ed. From there on 1t -predominates, the
black becomes less ans Ass. uniA about
a loot from the head the scales are en-
tirely green. 1t is picturesque lookine
reptile as snakes go and one which keeps
people Interested in watching It,
The transferal OF this huge cobra from
the box in which 1t arrived to the glass
case, where ii will reside IN future, was
an interesting performance, than most
people would rather read about than
witness. forked stick with q strap on
the end was the instrument used in the
case. The cobra was found dancing
around the box, which was nine feet
long, in very agitated manner. Keeper
Thompson, who Is an expert in handling
snakes, slipped the moose over the head
as it stood eredb With, tesigye darting in
and out with The Fapldfty Of lightning.
and in an instant drew the strap taut.
The vicious deadly reptile was prisoner.
The keeper then grasped the squirm.ng
corbra with his hand. ana IN a few min
utes it was safely housed in its den.
A slip of the moose, a squirm from its
grasp would have meant death for those
who were present. for there are
very few cases recorded of people who re-
covered from the poison of the bite OF
the deadly serpent. Fortunately, how
ever, the risky transaction was accom-
plished successfully without trouble.
The cobra didn't take kindly 10 1t at ALL
Imagine the feelings. of a reptile who
was so feared and dreaded, that the wilds
of India or its villages alike were its
abiding places without molestation, be-
ing locked up in box for days and weeks
and finally emerging into the light of day
again in a glass cage, were again to be
free, and some idea of the wrath of that
snake may be had.
1t poised itself and fairly danced all
around the case. Ii tried to strike the
keepers but the glass always brought It
to a sudden halt. All cay long it was
restless, and nothing could quiet IT
down.
The most peculiar thing about the cobra
is it's action when IL prepares 10 spring
upon its prey. BY a peculiar muscular ef-
fort 1t lifts itself up until its head is two
feet above the ground. There is remains
poised for a few moments as it eyes its
prey Its neck and body for distance OF
a foot becomes fiat as a pancake and
spreads out like a sail. Instead of the s.
like motion peculiar TO snakes in striking
their victims the cobra darts straight for
its mark like the falling Of a stfffened
arm.
This cobra and its mate were brought
directly to this country from India They
are both well, and Superintendent Brown
thinks they viii live and thrive in their
It'll . IL Il IL
and couple of frogs were placed in the
cage, but the cobra paid no attention to
them. 1t will probably not eat for several
weeks, as it is already well filled with
food Small rabbits and sparrows ana
probably raw eggs will make up it's diet.
The scientific name of this India corbra
is Naia Tripudians. 1t rules India with a
sway that is undisputed. Statistics show
that nearly 1900 people die annually from
its poisonous bites The natives Of India
are so afraid of It that they consider II a
visitor from their gods. They would not
think Of killing a cobra even If bitten by
one. They fear that the wrath of their
gods would come down upon them If they
did. For this reason this murderous rep
tile is hard to get. In india a man who is
bitten by one Of them is sure to die. II
he finds himself getting well he either
commits suicide or is killed by his com
panions, for they think he is bewtched
The snake charmers and their cobras are
as noted as India itself. They make
them dance to the music Of a flute and
follow them like a pet dog. If these re-
ports are to be believed. The bite Of the
cobra kills in from two 10 seven hours
Its poison IS more terrible than that of
the rattlesnake or any other snake known.
Prof, Hunicke OF Washington Unlver-
sity, st. Louis, Is about applying for a
nv which no D,
Of gold can be obtained from sea-water
at a cost of 81. every ton of water yielding
from to cents worth Of gold. He insists
that no nation viii hereafter suffer from