CATCHING THE COBRA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 145, 11 August 1911, Page 8

CATCHING THE COBRA.

It is said that of all reptiles the cob tv. is t.he most passionately loud ol music, and that it may easily ho enticed from its hiding place by the notes of the violin or ot the bagpipes. In India it very seldom hears any but the first instrument, and those bent upon its capture take advantage of tho cobra’s weakness lor tiie violin.

When a cobra is found to have taken up its abode in the neighbourhood of an Indian dwelling, it is customary to send for professional snake ehai mers, who at once proceed to work upon tho snake’s love of music.

One man will play a tune near the place supposed to he occupied by the cobra. It slowly emerges from its hiding-place, and takes up a position in front of tho player. it then becomes the business of this man to hold the attention of tho snake while a companion undertakes Ins capture. Tiie second man, with a handful of tine dust creeps up behind the cobra. The casting of tho dust upon the snake startles it, and for a moment it falls its full length upon the ground. Brief as this period may be, however, it suffices for the purpose of the assistant snake-catcher. With a lightning-like movement lie seizes the cobra by tho neck just below tho head.

If it he deemed desirable to extract the fangs at once, tiie cantor presses his thumb on the throat of tho snake, thus compelling it to open its mouth, when tho fangs are drawn with a pair of ninccrs.

Should, however, as not infrequently happens, the operator desire to keep tho cobra intact for the time I cing, the musician comes to his fellow’s aid, and forcibly unwinds the coils, and places tho body of the cobra in a basket. 'The head only is loft protruding, this being bold by the other man. The lid is then pressed down to prevent the cobra from wriggling out. Then, suddenly, the captor thrusts the head iu and bangs down the lid.

Sometimes music is employed to draw from the cobra its venom, needed for medicinal or experimental purposes. The musician’s assistant arms himself with a large plate covered with a thick plantain leaf. While the snake is engaged with the music, bo sits down immediately in front of tiie cobra. it is too much engrossed to notice the man until such time as the music abruptly ceases. Then the snake, recalled to existing surroundings, strikes at the man who is nearest.

But the snake-man has been waiting for tins.’ Swift as the thrust may lie, lie is just as swift. He interposes the plate, and receives the blow on it. The poison goes through tho puncture in the leaf, and is deposited on tho plate. -It is a thick, albuminous fluid, resembling the white of an egg. One drop of it communicated to the blood is enough to cause death within a very short time to any warm-blooded creature.