116 



THE CHERSYDRUS. 



in proportion to the wide thick body, bearing about the same proportion as the tip of the 

 little finger does to the wrist. The tail is also very wide, extremely blunt, and compressed. 



The markings of this reptile are rather curious. The ground color is black. There is 

 a large yellow spot on each side of the head, a series of pale, gray-brown spots runs on each 

 side of the neck, and a row of large rounded white marks is arranged along the back so as to 

 form a richly variegated pattern of boldly contrasted colors. 



THE CHITTUL (Hydrophis sublcems) is another of these marine Snakes, and is found in 

 India and Ceylon. It is rather a large species, sometimes exceeding five feet in length, and. is 

 handsomely colored. It is extremely venomous, a fowl that had been bitten by a Chittul 

 dying within five minutes after receiving the injury. The ground color of this Snake is 

 yellow, and the body is covered with an irregular row of black rings. Some black bands also 

 cross the neck. 



In the ACROCHORDE, sometimes called the Oular Carron, the tail, instead of being 

 flattened, is rounded, conical, and very short, diminishing in diameter in a very sudden 

 manner. It is a native of Java, and is said to be wholly vegetarian in its diet, the stomach 



BLACK BACKED PELAMIS.-fttomw Mo/or. 



having been found to contain nothing but half-digested fruit. The flesh of the Acrochorde is 

 said to be excellent. 



Upon the head are a number of little scales, each of which is divided into three ridges. 

 The creature is in the habit of distending its body with air to a very great extent, and when it 

 so acts the scales separate from each other and make the head and body look as if they were 

 covered with tubercles. The general color is brown in the adult, and brown bandel and 

 streaked with a darker hue in the young. 



THE CHERSYDRTTS (Cherstjdrus granul&tus) is a rather curious aquatic Serpent, found in 

 Asia and most common in Java. It is sometimes called the Banded Acrochorde, but wrongly 

 so, as its tail, instead of being round and conical, is flat, compressed, and sword-like in shape. 



