PREFACE. 



The object contemplated in publishing this small work (which may be 

 viewed as a supplement to Sir Joseph Fayrer's magnificent " Thanato- 

 phidia of India") has been to place in the hands of the busy officials of 

 India a handy-book, by means of which they may easily recognise any 

 of the poisonous reptiles of the Peninsula. Sir Joseph Fayrer, K.C.S.I., 

 when applied to, generously sanctioned the use of the beautiful plates 

 figured in his Thanatophidia. 



The scientific descriptions of Giinther, Fayrer, and Anderson have 

 been preserved ; but as all technical and other difficult terms have 

 been fully explained in the Glossary, the text may be regarded as 

 capable of being made intelligible to the mind of the ordinary reader. 

 Any further attempt at popularising the work would have ended in 

 redundancy, and rendered brevity and portability impossible. There is 

 scarcely a term employed in the descriptions, which cannot at once be 

 understood by a reference to the Glossary. The conciseness thus 

 accomplished has enabled me generally to place the descriptions side by 

 side with the Plates. This is a great advantage to men so fully employed 

 as are the civil, medical, and police authorities of India. 



It is believed that this work will meet a real want. It will enable 

 the hard-worked civil surgeon to identify, without much trouble, 

 poisonous snakes, a matter of great import to him in the practice of 

 his profession, and in his capacity as — it may be — the sole medical 

 jurisprude in his district. It will also enable the English speaking 

 and reading officials of all grades and departments to distinguish 

 poisonous from non-poisonous snakes. It is further hoped that it will 

 obviate the necessity of paying rewards for the capture and destruction 



