Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/119

* COBLENZ. 91 of the rivers, stands the splendid equestrian statue of Emperor illiam I., erected by the province. Colilcnz has numerous and excellent educational institutions, including a royal gym- nasium, a teacliers' seniinarw and a conservatory of music. Its cliief industi'y is the production of the sparkling Moselle wine. There are also manu- factures of machinery, pianos, and lacquered wares. Coblenz. with its system of forts, includ- inj; Ehrenl)reitstein on the opposite bank of the Rhine, constitutes a strong fortress. Population, in 1800, 32.(l(j-i; in 1000. 45.140. Col)lenz was known to the Romans as Conllucntcs. In 1018 it was conferred by Henry II. upon the arclibishops of Treves. After 1780 it was the headquarters of the French Emigres, and in 1704 it passed to France. In ISI.t it was ceded to Prussia. COBOTJRG, ko'bCrg. The capital of North- umberland County. Ontario. Canada, on Lake On- tario and the Grand Trunk Railroad; 69 miles northeast of Toronto (Map: Toronto, E 4). It is a port of entry, with a commodious harbor and regular steam communication with I'nited States and Canadian lake ports, and has woolen mills, ear-factory, and breweries. The town is well built and contains a college, and owns a public hall and municipal gas, electric lighting, and water works. Population, in 1801, 4280; in 1001, 4230. CO'BRA, or COBRA DE CAPELLO, ko'bra da ka-pf 1'6 ( Port., hooded snake ). One of a group of Oriental venomous snakes constituting the pro- teroglyphic genus Xaja. There are si. or seven species, dwelling in Asia and Africa. Of the African species the best known is the asp {Naja haie) ; see Asp. The Asiatic cobras are not large, except the 'giant' cobra {Naja bun- gariis), which is sometimes l.^ feet long. (See Hamadrt.d.) Several species belong mainly to the ^Malayan region and are comparatively small and harmless. None is American, the 'cobras' of Brazil being something else, usually harmless. The cobra de capello (Xaja tripiidiaiis) is the most interesting one. <as it is exceedingly numerous throughout India and Ceylon, thence westward to the Caspian, and eastward throughout the Malaj' Peninsula and into southern China; and is justly regarded as the most deadly of venomous serpents — certainly the most harmful considered in the aggregate, the annual mortality from its bite in India alone exceeding 5000 human beings, besides a great quantity of live stock. Little can be done to prevent this, because of the religious veneration with which the 'blacksnake' (the na- tive name) is regarded by the larger part of the' population. This species rarely exceeds six feet in length and is a rather slender, brownish snake (bluish beneath) with lighter cross-bars; but the markings are variable. The head is small, without the triangular and separated appearance of the vipers : but when the snake is angr^- or excited and about to strike, it lifts from the ground a third of its length, and spreads the nu- chal ribs until the neck expands into a broad, shell-like hood of terrifying appearance; and the back of this hood displays a yellow mark, more or less of the shape of a pair of s])ectacles. These cobras wander even up to elevations of 8000 feet in the Himalayas, but are most common in the lowland jungles, where they are able to climb trees, although seldom doing so; and as they can swim well they often enter the water after frogs, fish, etc. They are attracted to vil- VOL. v.— 7. COBURG. lages, enter gardens ami houses in search of raice and other small mammals, or of eggs and young poultry, and are likely, especially duringthe rainy .sea.son. to talvc^ up their residence in old liouses, broken walls, fodder-stacks and rubbish-heaps, and remain there. 11 is al)Out such places. especially at niglit, tluxt they are most often trodden ui)on, and fatal bites are received. They are sluggisli and strike rarely exce]it wlien provoked or endangered ; and they may be killed by a slight blow. Their bite, when well delivered by a vigorous snake, is almost surely fatal ; men have been known to per- ish within half an hour, and in such cases all so- called remedies are useless. The immunity this snake receives <iniong the Hindus is due toabelief that it once spread its hood as a shade over Bud- dha while he slept, and was blessed by the saint, who placed the spectacle-mark upon its back as a warning to the kite not to molest it. Little head- way can be made against this superstition in ef- forts toward extermination of this deadly reptile, which occasioiuilly penetrates even the gardens and parks of large towns. Its natural enemies are few. chielly the kite, the mungoos (q.v. ), and cat- tle (ly tramping). BiRi.ioiiR.vpHY. For these and other ))oisonous snakes of the Old World, consult authorities re- ferred to under Snake; also Fayrer. Thnnato- phidia of India (London. 1874) ; Ewart, P(/ison- oiis .S'»o/,-c.s of India (London. 1878). See Pro- teroolypha; and Colored Plate of Foreign Vekomoi-s Serpents. COBRE, ko'bra. A small town in the Prov- ince of Santiago, Cuba, about miles from Santi- ago de Cuba. It is the centre of a copper-mining district, and derives its name from that metal. Cobre dates from the sixteenth century, the mines having been exploited first in 1558. Popu- lation, 1809^ 1028. COBTIRG, ko^joorK (Lat. Melocabus). The capital of the Duchy of Coburg. and, alternately with Gotha, the residence of the Duke of Saxe- Coburg-Gotha. picturesquely situated on the left bank of the Itz. a tributary of the JIain, about 26 miles north-northeast of Bamberg (Map: Ger- many, D 3). Its principal public buildings are chiefly found on the IVIarktplatz and Schloss- platz. The former, adorned with a statue of Prince Albert, contains the old Rathaus. the handsome Government buildings, and the arsenal, with the Ducal Library of 60.000 volumes. The Schlossplatz contains the large palace erected in 1549 and restored in 1003. two smaller ducal pal- aces, and the theatre. The Church of Saint Mo- ritz, a handsome late Gothic structure, dating from the fifteenth century, contains some fine monuments and brasses. On a hill about 500 feet above the town stands the ancient castle of the Dukes of Coburg. dating from the eleventh cen- tury. It has recently been restored and fitted up as a museum. The rooms which Luther occupied, when in concealment here in 1530, are still ex- hibited to the visitor, as well as the pulpit from which he preached in the chapel of the castle. There are flourishing industries of beer-brewing, the weaving of woolen and linen fabrics, and the manufacture of porcelain and basket wa.re. Population, in 1800, 17,106: in 1900. 20,4.59. The town of Coburg grew up around the castle, and is mentioned for the first time in 1207. In 1485 it passed to the Ernestine line of Saxon dukes, and became in 1735 the capital of Saxe- Coburg.