Year: 1879

deadly serpent IN the country Is. sup
pose, the rattlesnake, bat hundreds OF
persons have been bitten by it and have
recovered. For the bite OF the cobra in
foil yigor, however, there is no known
cure. Immediately after the rainy SEN
ron the cobra is IN its worst form. He
lies dormant, while torrents of rain that
seem like the renewal ofth food are de-
luging the earth, rarely coming out of the
deep hole in which he finds shelter, and
all that time poison is accumulating, un-
Ill the bag at the root Of the hollow fang
ia filed to bursting. The cobra has but
one poisonous fang, and when he is un-
disturbed and not angry this lies fiat on
the jaw. But the momen. nm enemy APP
pears the aspect of the cobra changes
lie assumes an almost perpendicular po-
sition, which is the only one from which
he can strike. His tail is thrown into the
form OF a ring, and on this he stands
erect. His head is bent forward. and he
makes figure like that ofan old fashion
ed walking stick with crook for ham
de. A feshy hood rises along the back
of The neck and expands INTO ian-ike
shape behind the head, while around his
flushing little eyes are bright yellow rings,
looking like spectacles. Seen thus, his
tongue darling out and in, he is as repug
uant n creature rs exists. When in posi-
ton for striking he can spring probably
ter feet, but he is easily killed. He new
or runs off, and though he will not move
toward any enemy to get within striking
distance, if the intruder approaches him
he does not retreat, and it is only necessa-
r. to stand twenty feet off and hrrl stick
Mt him. A slight blow will break bis
back, and he is then poweress.


Probably the greatest experimentor
upon snakes that ever lived was DR..
Fayrer, Of Calcutta. lie was particulars
ly Interested in the discovery Of cure
for the bite Of the cobra, for the number
Of lives lost every year by this cause is
incredible. After years Of careful study,
and after he had exhausted recipes sent
20 him from all parts Of the world he de-
clared that there was 10 known remedy
for the bite, and that man impregnated
with the poison of n vigorous cobra must
die. In tho course of his experim ents he
made n singular discovery, that the pois-
on Of one cobra could not kill another
A largo cobra would destroy smaller
one, but only by lacerating it With its
teeta, not by means Of its venom.


Once ! stood with DR.. Fayrcr in his
studio when he was about to make an ex-
pertinent TO determine the rapidity with
which cobra's poison would do its work.
In the middle of the room was wooden
box containing iour-foot cobra, which
had been confined there without food for
three days, and was in a horrible state of
rage and stocked with venom. Not far
from the door Of the box was large dog
Of greater strength and vitality than nm
average man. He was chained, and
nearly all The hair had been shaved off
from one of his hind legs. AT signal
from the Doctor an assistant pulled
string, the door of the box rose and the
cobra, with cord tied around his tail,
glided out like a streak of light. The
unfortunate dog had been anxiously
watching the box for some minutes, and
giving vent TO his uneasiness by low,
whining noise. The moment he saw the
make coming out he was thrown into an
osony of terror, as is nearly every ami


NAL when its sees cobra, albeit he has
never set his eyes on one before. Every
body in the room stood as far away from
the snake as possible, the assistant hold
ing :he string that was attached to the
reptiles tail. In a second the cobra had
fastened its eyes upon the dog, which
WAS the object nearest to it, and rising
upon its tail it assumed its horrible posi-
ton Of attack. Then, launching lis body
like lightning through the intervening
space, it fastened its fangs fairly in the
center of the bare conspicuous spot on the
Digs flank. Instantly the assistant pull.
ed the string and dragged the writhing
reptile from its hold. and DR.. Fayrer
seized the injured part of the dogs leg
between his thumb and first finger of his
lef; hand, and with clean swift sweep
Of his scape cut it down to the bone.-
Remedies were at once applied to stop the
bleeding and stmulents were given, but
IN a few moments the dog began 20 ex-
lfEif tboaa nf ipacc that
always precedes death from the bite o: n
cobra. Every effort WAS made to arouse
him, but within little more than twenty
minutes from the time the snake bit him
the dog lay dead on the floor. In this
instance ] do not think more than two
seconds elapsed after the bite was given
before the injured flesh was swept out.
The result conveys some idea of the ra-
pidty with which poison acts. The dog
exhibited no Indication of suffering. And
in this respect the poison of the cobra is
different from that Of all other venomous
reptiles, and especially that of the rattle
snake. The bito OF the latter serpent
convulses the victim with pain, but the
wound inflicted by the cobra csuses
painless death. The doomed person sinks
into calm, deep sleep, against which no
resistance can be made, and from which
there is no awakening.


The chief food Of the cobra is the frog.
After the rainy season these creatures fiji
the air with loud, steady croaklng all
night. Occasionally, however, IL shrill
shrek is heard above the ordinary noise,
and the praetced ear discerns the cry OF
the unfortunate frog when snake has
seized it. Early one morning, by the
roadside, | found cobra in the act o,