Scientific American

A HISTORICAL LOCOMOTIVE. fatal. Paralysis of the nerve center takes place, and Another species of cobra occurs in Africa, where in the There has lately been donated to the Lewis and Clark death follows rapidly, sometimes in a few moments, northern part it is known technically as Naja haja, Centennial Exhibition an old locomotive which has had especially when the fangs, having penetrated a vein, while in southern Africa occurs a cobra-like snake be· a decidedly interesting experience. Both historically and inoculate the poison immediately into the venous cir­ longing to a different genus, and known as Sepedon because of its unique construction, this little engine is culation. The venom is harmless, however, if taken hwmachates. worthy of more than passing notice. It was built in internally, nor is it fatal when brought in contact In India the cobra's scientific name, as already San Francisco in 1861, when the old Vulcan Iron Works with a mucous surface, such as the interior of the stated, is Naja tripudians, and while many varieties ex· of San Francisco received an ist there, it seems to be agreed order from the Oregon Steam that they all really belong to Navigation Company for a one species, a conclusion based locomotive which they wished on a study of the scales. The to use on a portage that ex­ average length of the cobra tended around the great cas· hardly exceeds four feet, with cades of the Columbia River. a diameter of two inches, al· The portage consisted of a though specimens occasional· seven-mile stretch of track, ly attain a length of more laid on the bank of the Co­ than six feet. The largest lumbia on the Oregon Terri­ specimen in the British Mu· tory side. TL€ first trip of seum is six feet four inches the Ii ttle engin:; was made in length, the tail being one May 10, 1862. The track con­ foot long. sisted of stout wooden rails The illustrations of living laid longitudinally, which cobras which accompany this were covered on the inner article, and which were ob· edges with light scrap-iron tained for the writer through plates. The operating com­ Dr. Gibson, of the Parel Re· pany was the subject of much search Laboratory in Bombay, congratulation on the day by Mr. Clarence E. Fee, secre· that the engine drew its first tary to the United States con· load of freight and passen· suI, show three varieties, com­ gers around the portage at monly known in India as the the rate of ten miles per hour. "black" cobra, the "light-col­ It was not long before a ored spectacled" cobra, and more up-to-date road, with the "dark spectacled" cobra. larger cars and more power· The "spectacles," being black, ful locomotives, was built on are not visible of course on the opposite side of the river; the first, but are plainly seen and with the completion of on the "dark spectacled" speci­ the new road the old portage men. Indian tradition relates track and its locomotive were that Buddha provided the co­ dispensed with. The "pony," bra with "spectacles," to en· as the little engine was called, able it to ward off the attacks was then purchased by Mr. of its old enemy, the Brah- Hawes, a San Francisco con- THE FIRST OREGON LOCOMOTIVE. minny kite. These "specta­ tractor, and brought by steam- cles" seem to be restricted to er down the Col,umbia and around the Pacific coast to stomach or the eye. The natives of India distinguish the Indian species; certainly they do not occur in either that city, where it was engaged for many years in haul­ between cobras with spectacles on the hood ("Gokur­ of the African cobras. ing the sand cars, that were used on a large contract for rahs") and those with only one ocellus, or other mark, When searching for prey, the cobra glides about cutting down the steep hills and filling up the fore­ on the hood ("Keautiahs"). Dr. J. Fayrer in his easily and quietly, but once excited, he raises his head shore of San Francisco. After many years of this ser­ "Thanatophidia" mentions the following varieties of and a large part of his body straight in the air, while vice the engine was taken off the work and stored in the Gokurrah: Kala (black); Koyah (black and the remainder is gathered beneath in a coil as a kind a warehouse, where, in 1889, it was seriously damaged white); Gomunah (wheat colored); Puddah (yellow); of support. His next warlike movement is to spread in a fire which destroyed the warehouse. The curious Dudiah (whitish); Tentuliah (tamarind-seed colored) ; out his upper ribs laterally, extending six or more little locomotive was thoroughly repaired by its owner Kurrees (earthy color); Tameshur (copper colored); inches downward from the head, thus converting his and sent as an exhibit to the Exposition. The en­ and Puddun nag (gold colored). Of the Keautiah: neck into a "thin, flattened, oval disk four or five inches gine is about 7 feet in width and 13 feet in length, and Kala (black); Tentuliah (tamarind-seed colored); broad." This is the "hood" which is found in the weighs 5 tons. It is carried on four wheels, connected Kurrees (earth colored); Sonera (gold colored); Du­ Indian, and in a smaller degree on the North African by side rods. The boiler is of the return-tube type, diah (whitish); Bans-buniah (mottled white and cobra, but is entirely wanting in the form found in and the coaL and water are carried on the engine. black); Giribungha (brownish); Koyah (black and South Africa. Above the hood protrudes the head, ex­ The cylinders are not connected direct to the driving­ white); Sankha-mookhi (black and yellow). pectant and held horizontally, facing the foe. wheel axle, but drive the latter by means of a counter­ In many parts of India a cobra of any 0 f these varie­ Probably the average annual number of the cobra's shaft to which it is geared. ties is simply called "Kala samp," or "Nag samp." victims in India alone, which is placed at about twenty

••••• thousand, would be very much greater if it did not THE COBRA. possess such a nervous temperament, which often leads BY RANDOLPH I. GEARE. the snake to strike at a moving object long before it is The Indian cobra, or cobra di< capello (Naja tripu­ near enough to reach the object effectually, thus wast· dians) is the most deadly of all snakes. It inhabits ing a large amount of venom. India and Ceylon, Burma, the Andamans, southern When a cobra strikes, he hisses audibly and imme­ China, Indo-China, and the Malay peninsula and archi­ diately reassumes his erect position, and thus he con­ pelago. In the Himalayas, its range extends to an tinues to act as long as danger menaces or a safe ave· altitude of eight thousand feet. To the west it ranges nue of escape does not present itself. The turning to to Afghanistan, northeast Persia, and south Turkestan, the left and right, as above mentioned, constitutes the as far as the east coast of the Caspian Sea. so-called "cobra dancing," which many have attributed Cobras are most active at night. They feed on small to the infiuence of music, but which, combined with animals, birds' eggs, frogs, fish, or insects. They at­ the appearance of faintness and death, which these tack hen-roosts, and swallow the eggs whole. They snakes sometimes assume, are properly referable to drink a great deal of water, although they can live for the natural tactics of defense and attack, while the weeks, even months, in captivity without touching food !'fainting" is simply a temporarily weakened condition or water. Cobras due to its ex­ can climb, and oc­ tremely nervous casionally ascend and excitable dis­ trees in search of position. food. As a rule, The Indian co­ they are not ag­ bra must not be gressive, and un­ confused with the I e s s in terfered hamadryas with or irritated, o r Kin g cobra, they crawl along which also has a the ground with wide distribution n e c k undilated, in southeastern looking like some A�ia, through the harmless snake; Indo-Malayan re­ but the moment gion to the Philip­ they are disturbed pines. It is much they assume a me­ larger than the nacing attitude. cobra, one record· The poison of a ed specimen meas­ cobra, when thor­ uring sixteen feet oughly inoculated nine inches. For· by a fresh and tunately, it is not v i g 0 r 0 u s speci­ so venomous as men, is quickly BLACK COBRA. REAR VIEW. LIGHT·COLORED SPECTACLED COBRA. the cobra.