SNAKES 167 



The Banded Krait, B.fasciatus, a very nocturnal snake, 

 which frequents jungle districts in preference to grassy 

 plains, agrees in its distribution with the Common Krait ; 

 it is most vividly marked with bright yellow and black 

 annuli. It is even more sluggish than the common 

 species, and will not, even when attacked, make any 

 attempt to defend itself. Its poison is somewhat less 

 virulent than that of B. candidus. 



In the true Cobras, genus Naia, the head is but slightly 

 distinct from the neck ; the eye is rather large, with a 

 round pupil. The body is cylindrical ; the tail is moder- 

 ately long ; the scales are smooth. The fangs are not very 

 large. The neck is in all the species dilatable to a greater 

 or less extent, the expansion being produced by the dis- 

 tension of the skin, supported by the anterior ribs, which 

 are longer than those following. The Cobras, ten in 

 number, inhabit Africa and all the tropical and semi- 

 tropical regions of Asia. Although essentially terrestrial, 

 they are all fond of water, and will remain in it for hours 

 partly submerged. 



The Indian Cobra, N. tripudians, which is also known 

 by the Portuguese name of Cobra de Capello (Hooded 

 Snake), when irritated, expands its neck very extensively. 

 The markings on this snake, which are light or dark brown 

 or black in colour, vary considerably, and the various forms 

 would be, but for the absence of demarcation lines between 

 them, regarded as valid species. The typical form has 

 a curious spectacle-shaped marking on the upper surface 

 of the neck, which characterizes the cobras of Southern 

 India and Ceylon. There are, however, forms without 

 the spectacle, the latter being replaced, in the variety 

 fasciata, of Northern India and South-Eastern Asia, by a 



