51 



the wrong one, while the Tamils often borrow the 

 Sinhalese names, and for numerous unnamed 

 varieties use the word ''Vyrian" (viper), which 

 corresponds to the Sinhalese '' polonga." All this 

 combines to make the discovery of the correct 

 names of snakes a difficult business. The other 

 species of the genera mentioned below are given 

 the same names. 



Name. 



Python Molurus 



Lycodon Aulicus 



Zaraenis Mucosus . . 

 Coluber Helena 

 Dendrophis Pictus . . 



Tropidonotus Stolatus 



,, Piscator 



Ancistrodon Hypnale 



Dipsas Ceylonensis . . 

 Chrysopelea Ornata. . 



Dryophis Mycterizans 



Bungarus Ceylonicus 

 Naia Tripudians 



Vipera Russelli 



Trimeresurus Trigono- 

 cephalus 



Uropeltidae 

 Earth-snakes and 

 smaller Colubrinae 



Tamil Name. 



Malam Pambu 

 Malei Virian 

 Venanati 



Kundan Karawila 



Sarei Pambu 



Kumbera Muke (some- 

 times) 



Kopi Pambu (Coffee 

 Snake) 



Tanni Pambu (Water- 

 snake) 



Nettu Verusa 



Kopi Virian. 



Patchi Pambu (Green 



snake) 

 Kumbera Muke (Horned 



nose) 



Kundan Karawila 



Nulla Pambu 



snake) . . 

 Kanadi Virian 



tacle Viper) 

 Podeyen 

 Virian Pambu 



Patchi Virian 



Viper) 

 Kopi Virian 



Viper) 



(good 

 (Spec- 



(Green 

 (Coffee 



Sinhalese Name, 



Pimbura 



JTel Karawila 

 (Mapila 



Girendiya 



Muda Karawila 



Haldunda 

 Aharakuka 



Diya Polonga 

 I Mahakamaduwa 

 ( Kunukatuwa 

 (Dunu Karawila 

 ( Mapila 



Pol-Mai Karawila 



Ahatula 



Dunnu Karawila 



Tel-Karawila 



Nagya 



Tic Polonga (Spotted 

 Polonga) 



Munelei Pambu (Sand- 

 snakes) 



Palla Polonga 



Depat Naya (Two- 

 headed snakes) 



