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him to my tents, which were close at hand, and divided his cervi- 

 cal vertebrae with a pair of nail scissors, to the profound aston- 

 ishment of the Barmese present. It was a foolhardy thing to do, 

 but one does not stop to weigh consequences when a fine speci- 

 men is to be secured. 



The bite of a snake of this size would probably prove fatal to a 

 man in three minutes, and cases are known of elephants having 

 been killed in a few hours by the bite of a Qnahn. 



The Barmese snake-charmers catch these snakes and exhibit 

 them in the same way as ' Cobras' but always give them their 

 liberty in a few months, to avoid the sin of their death, should 

 they die of inanition whilst in their possession. 



The Onahn feeds on other snakes (it is said), whence one of its 

 specific names, but is an inoffensive animal I believe, save when 

 intruded on during the nuptial period, at other times displaying 

 the calm sense of superior power rather than irritability or ferocity . 



Callophis, Gray. 



Body sub-cylindrical, long and slender. Head short, obtuse 

 with broad snout, not distinct from neck. Tail short. Eye 

 small with round pupil. Nostril between two nasals. One prse- 

 ocular. Two postoculars. Scales smooth in 13 rows, the yerte- 

 brals not enlarged. Subcaudals bifid. 



C. intestinalis, Laur. 



Elaps fm'catus, Schn. 

 Maticora lineata, Gray. 

 Head brown, black spotted on the side and yellowish below. 

 A red vertebral stripe bordered with black. A buff" coloured 

 band bordered with black along the edges of the two outer rows 

 of scales. Belly with alternate pale citrine and black cross bands, 

 the latter colour occupying three or four ventral shields, the 

 former rarely more than two. Tail with three black rings, some- 

 times absent. 

 Grows to 24 inches. (Tail 15.) 

 Inhabits Upper Barmah, Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines. 



