The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1871.12.17. The Cobra does swell a little when enraged & hisses. CUL-DAR189.60. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 10.2023. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR189 contains material for Darwin's book Expression of the emotions.

[60]

Dec. 17. 71

The Cobra does swell a little when enraged & hisses; but in other case & Puff adder apparently solely for larger supply of air. — The hood must rather interfere, from resistance to air, into extreme rapidity with which it strikes at enemy.

Says snake, innocuous, Coronella sayi vibrates its attenuated tail when angry, so quick, as to be almost invisible — whether arisen thus made I know not.— (We shall see same with porcupine.—) The water viper Cenchris piscivorus also vibrates tail. — (Mungoose in Herpestes)

[Expression, p. 109.]

Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)