ng in the air at the end of a stick, and
began to wriggle and writhe, and scratch and bite furiously.

One thing seems clear from these accidents. The Indian _samp-wallahs_ do
not use any infusion or unguent to stupefy and disarm their snakes, as
do those of Ethiopia. If these men just mentioned had been so protected
they would not have been killed, however rash or pot-valiant they might
have been. Indeed the accounts of Bruce and others of the African
professors of the psyllic art, and the phenomena of the serpents acted
upon, differ greatly from descriptions of parallel exhibitions in India,
and suggest diverse modes of explanation.

A dozen years ago there were a couple of oriental Psylli performing at
the Zoological Gardens. Mr Brodcrip has given a very graphic sketch of
their performance as he saw it in the Reptile House. The two Arabs took
up their position on the floor, the company standing in a semicircle at
a respectful distance.

"The old Arab said something to the young one, who stooped down ... and
took out a large deal-box, drew off the cover, thrust in his hand and
pulled out a large long _Naia haje_ (the Egyptian species of Cobra).
After handling it and playing with it a little while, he set it down on
the floor, half squatted close to it, and fixed his eyes on the snake.
The serpent instantly raised itself, expanded its hood, and turned
slowly on its own axis, following the eye of the young Arab, turning as
his head, or eye, or body turned. Sometimes it would dart at him, as if
to bite. He exercised the most perfect command over the animal. All this
time the old Arab stood still, pensively regarding the operation; but
presently he also squatted down, muttering some words, opposite to the
snake. He evidently affected the reptile more strongly than his more
mercurial relative, though he remained motionless, doing nothing that I
could see but fixing his eyes upon the snake, with his face upon a level
with the raised head of the serpent, which now turned all its attention
to him, and seemed to be in a paroxysm of rage. Suddenly it darted
open-mouthed at his face, furiously dashing its expanded whitish-edged
jaws into the dark hollow cheek of the charmer, who still imperturbably
kept his position, only smiling bitterly at his excited antagonist. I
was very close, and watched very narrowly; but though the snake dashed
at the old Arab's face and into it more than twice or thrice with its
mouth wide open, I co