HOW THE MONGOOSE KILLS THE COBRA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2764, 19 March 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOW THE MONGOOSE KILLS THE COBRA.

DESCRIPTION OF A REAI ARK ABLE FIGHT.

Describing a fight to the death, in which a mongoose and a cobra- were tlie contestants, a writer in the “Times of Ceylon” says: "I had the good fortune this evening to witness a fightbetween a four-root cobra di eapello and a mongoose. On first catching sight of the cobra, rikki-tik (as Budyard Kipling calls- the Indian mongoose) quietly smelt its tail, and then hung around awaiting event's with curiosity ; but- he had not long to wait, for the cobra spread its bood. hissed, put- its death sentence, and prepared to dart from its coil at its natural and hated enemy. Now commenced a most interesting and deadly battle ef feint and counter-feint bv the mongoose, and strikes and ligh-tning-like recovery by its adversary, whq was also on the defensive, all the time watching for the to get in his properly-aimed bite. Time - after time tbs rikki-tik squirmed slowly up to within reach of those terrible fangs, belly on the ground—with every grey hair of his body erect with anger and excitement, his eyes glaring from his head, which, by the way, lie invari. ; ably held sideways during his approach and attack; but‘the moment the cobra ;.| struck, in a- flash back sprang master ( mongoose, and, although often it- appeared as if impossible that he could T have escaped tlie dreaded fangs, -ne’er a scratch harmed him, and there he (i would be again wearing tlie cobra out and pressing ins advantage inch by inch. At last, with a growl and sharp I] rikky erv. the plucky little beast flew .1 in, advoided the strike, and sieacd theft] snake behind the head, never for a- } moment getting its mouth, but right 1 at the nape ef the nock and head, j which lie scrunched with a loud crack- g ing sound, despite the struggles and f twisting of the cobra. Again and again rikki returnod to the now writliing reptile, and bit its head and body'tiil it lay dying. Finally lie ate three f: or four inches of his mortal foe, bufcjjt care foil v avoided eating tlie fangs and poison glands, which I picked uj> 'by a t stick and found them broken, but with the vonow sacs attached. Contrary to (1 popular belief, I am of opinion that the mongoose is not immune from snake . poison, else wliv should lie so partic- ;] ularlv and carefully avoid being bitten ?.'£?, It is only by liis marvellous activity that he escapes the spring and darting ;! strike of his deadly enemy, the cobra I di eanello.