552 



NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF SNAKES MADE IN THE 

 NILGIRI HILLS AND THE ADJACENT WYNAAD. 



Bi 



LlEUT.-CoLONEL F. WaLL, I.M.S., C.M.G., C.M.Z.S., F.L.S. . 



(With Diagrams and Maps.) 



A period of sick leave lasting in all for four months in 1917, 

 and spent in the Nilgiris gave me a great opportunity for studying 

 the snakes of that locality, and the interesting plateau known 

 locally as the Nilgiri-Wynaad. 



My thanks are due to the many Planters around who were kind 

 enough to assist me in collecting, and without whose aid I would have 

 obtained but little. I am indebted to the following gentlemen : 

 Mr, J. B, Vernede of Rookery Estate, Mr. L, Gerard Rogers of 

 Adderley, Mr. C. Vernede of Hill Grove, Mr. C. Hercus of Glen- 

 dale, Mr. A. K. Weld-Downing of Frith Hall, Mr. R. S. Hunter 

 of Pilloor, Mr. G. Oakes of Kalhatti, Mr. W. B. de Courcy of 

 Liddelsdale, Mr. J. H. Wapshare of Hope, Mr. F. W. F. Fletcher 

 of Rockwcod, Mr. J. E. Bisset of Mayfield, and Mr. V. W. G. 

 Bisset of Wentworth. The first six of these gentlemen are on 

 estates on the Eastern slopes of the Nilgiri Plateau. ]\fr. Oakes 

 is in the middle of the plateau, and Mr. de Courcy on the north- 

 west confines overlooking the Wjmaad. The last four gentlemen 

 have estates in the Nilgiri-Wynaad, a locality politically in the 

 Nilgiris, but zoo-geographically part of the Wynaad. The terrain 

 is a complicated mass of mountain ranges that calls for special 

 remarks. The Gazetteer of India says of the Nilgiris : 



" It consists of two well marked divisions : the high steep sided 

 plateau formed by the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats 

 as they run southwards down the two opposite sides of the Indian 

 Peninsula ; and lower area adjoining, and geographically forming 

 part of, the Malabar- Wynaad. The plateau, which is divided into 

 the two taluJhS of Ootacamund and Coonoor, averages 6,500 feet 

 above sea-level, and several of its peaks run up to over 8,000 feet. 

 The lower area adjoining the Wynaad forms the third, or Gudalur, 

 taluk, and is often called the South-East Wynaad. It is only 2,000 

 to 3,000 feet above the sea, is more level than the plateau, and is 

 covered for the most part with thick forest. * * * Along the 

 south-western edge of the plateau runs a line of bold hills called 

 the Kundahs, several of the peaks in which are over 8,000 feet in 

 height. * * * The Western Ghats join the Eastern Ghats in 

 the high plateau of the Nilgiris." 



" The Wynaad consists of a table land 60 miles by 30 miles, lying 

 amid the Ghats at the average height of 3,000 feet above sea level. 



