Boston Public Library, Print Department William Vaughn Tupper Scrapbook Collection, Call no.: 4098B.104 v31(p. 2), Creative Commons - Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Transcription:
Snake charmer. Rifaiyeh. Ghager. A distinct caste not to be confounded with the ordinary exhibitor or snakes in the streets of Cairo. This snake is called Maspero the Asp, by Bædeker the Cobra Da Capello. It is from three to six feet long. The skin about its head is movable and is inflated when ready to strike- Its bite is fatal. It is found in the desert and fields. As the Uræus Snake it was in ancient times a symbol of royalty. The Asp of Cleopatra is supposed to have been the Cerastes a small viper.
