. Annual report - New York Zoological Society. Zoology. NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 187. HEAD OF RATTLESNAKE The fangs are very large in comparison to the poison-conducting teeth of the King Cobra. venomous and harmless, the Cobras appear to be the most vicious and untamable. Even after years of captivity the majority of specimens remain as frenziedly hostile as when first received from their native wilds. The stories of wild Cobras wantonly attacking men have been much condemned as fallacious and sen- sational. They can not be, however, entirely devoid of founda- tion and truthfulness. On many occas
. Annual report - New York Zoological Society. Zoology. NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 187. HEAD OF RATTLESNAKE The fangs are very large in comparison to the poison-conducting teeth of the King Cobra. venomous and harmless, the Cobras appear to be the most vicious and untamable. Even after years of captivity the majority of specimens remain as frenziedly hostile as when first received from their native wilds. The stories of wild Cobras wantonly attacking men have been much condemned as fallacious and sen- sational. They can not be, however, entirely devoid of founda- tion and truthfulness. On many occasions the writer has noted signs of aggressiveness on the part of angry Cobras that clearly indicate a more dangerous class of serpents than thick-bodied and sluggish viperine snakes. Two specimens of the Masked Cobra (N. tripudiaiis semifas- ciata) have been in the Reptile House for over three years. They are fully as vicious to-day as upon their arrival at the Park. When angered, these snakes will rear their bodies more than a third of their length from the ground, and with dilated necks, spreading to the width of a man's palm, remain in this position indefinitely—until all causes of annoyance have passed. The opening of their door and a slight wave of the hand is sufficient to throw these snakes into a frenzy of anger. While rearing to strike, they are exceedingly nervous. A slight turn of the hand, or the movement of a stick will cause them to start like a nervous horse at a gun-shot. Thev strike forward and down-. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original New York Zoological Society. New York, The Society
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1904
