THE COBRA 227

they are pirates in the guise of merchantmen, having
the appearance of harmless snakes, but being in reality
most venomous. The hamadryad, which is allied to
the cobras, is one of the few snakes that will attack

 

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THE COBRA DI CAPELLO

man without provocation, and the only thing to be
said in its favour is that it feeds on other snakes.
There is one at South Kensington which is thirteen
feet long. The cobras are not exclusively Indian ;
they are also found in Africa, in China, and in Java,

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