OPHIOPHAGUS. 



Ophiophagus Elaps. . 



Hamadryad (Gunther), Sunkerchor (Native), Ai raj in Orissa (Fayrer). 

 This is a hooded snake, varying in length, in the adult state, from 

 twelve to fourteen feet. It is powerful, active, and aggressive. 



Gunther describes the genus as follows : — " Body rather elongate ; 

 tail of proportionate length ; head rather short, depressed, scarcely 

 distinct from neck, which is dilatable ; occipitals surrounded by three 

 pairs of large shields, the two anterior of which are temporals. Nostril 

 between two nasals. Loreal none ; one or two prae-, three post- oculars. 

 Scales smooth, much imbricate, in transverse rows, in fifteen series 

 round the body, but in many more round the neck ; those of the 

 vertebral series are rather larger than the others, ventrals more than 

 200 ; anal entire ; anterior sub-caudals simple, posterior two-rowed, 

 sometimes all bifid. Maxillary with a large fang in front, which is 

 perforated at the end, showing a longitudinal groove in front ; a second 

 small simple tooth at some distance behind the fang." 



Varieties dependent upon " age and locality" : — 



" a. Olive green above ; the shields of the head, the scales of the 

 neck, hinder part of the body and of the tail edged with black ; trunk 

 with numerous oblique, alternate black and white bands converging 

 towards the head ; lower parts marbled with blackish, or uniform pale 

 greenish. 



" )3. Brownish-olive; uniform anteriorly, with the scales black-edged 

 posteriorly ; each scale of the tail with a very distinct white, black-edged 

 ocellus, as in Ptyas mucosus. 



" y. Uniform brownish black, scales of the hinder part of the body 

 and of the tail somewhat lighter in the centre ; all the lower parts black, 

 except the chin and throat, which are yellow." 



