COBRA DE CAPELLO, the Portuguese name of an East Indian Elapine serpent, the Naja tripudiatts, and sometimes applied to its congeners, among which is the king cobra or hamadryad of India, Naja bungarus, and an African genus, the Naja limit', or asp, all of which are reptiles of the most venomous na ture. The former inhabits India and south eastern Asia, Java, etc. The ringhals of South Africa, sepedon hcemachates, is closely related, and is sometimes also known as cobra.
All are remarkable for the manner in which they spread out or distend the sides of the neck and head when disturbed or irritated. In the cobra de capello the conformation necessary to this action is found in the most perfect con dition, as some of the ribs are loosely articu lated and moved by appropriate muscles on the sides of the neck, which, when expanded, give the anterior part of the body the appearance of an overhanging arch or hood, on the middle of which, posterior to the eyes, is a greenish yellow mark, resembling the rim of a pair of spectacles. From this mark we have the name °spectacled snake? When disturbed by the approach of an individual or otherwise, the cobra raises the anterior part of its body, so as to appear to stand erect, expands its hood and is prepared to inflict a deadly wound. The poi son fangs are attached to the anterior end of the maxillary bone and are permanently erect, not movable, as in the rattlesnalces. So ex ceedingly poisonous is its bite that in numer ous instances which are well authenticated death has followed within a few minutes; under ordi nary circumstances a few hours is the longest term that intervenes from the infliction of the bite till the death of the sufferer, where prompt measures for his relief have not been resorted to. So numerous are these snakes in India, and
so bold in frequenting human habitations, that the census returns attribute not less than 10,000 deaths annually to their bites.
The cobra may be as much as six and a half feet long and two inches through.
To minister to the curiosity of the multitude, the jugglers of India select these venomous rep tiles for their exhibitions and having extracted their fangs keep them in cages or baskets to exhibit as dancing snakes. When the cage is opened, the juggler begins playing upon a pipe or other instrument; whereupon the cobra as sumes the erect attitude, distends its hood and remains balancing itself in this position until the music is suspended. It is possible that this snake, in common with lizards and other ani mals, is peculiarly affected by musical sounds, but it is much more likely that the swaying of the body of the charmer baffles the snake's at tempt to strike. With the exception of the spectacle mark on the back of the neck and its distensible hood, the cobra is not especially dis tinguished as regards coloration or form. Con sult Ditmars, 'Reptiles of the World' (New York 1910) ; Boulenger, 'Snakes of the British Museum) (London 1893-96); Genther, 'Rep tiles of British India' (London 1901) ; Gadow, 'Amphibia and Reptiles' (London 1901). See