,<06>C47 



JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOMBAY 



J^atitral Pistaru SBxietj|. 



Vol. XIX. 



BOMBAY. 



No. 2. 



A POPULAR TREATISE OX THE COMMON INDIAN 



SNAKES. 



Illustrated by Coloured Plates and Dla.grams. 



BY 



Major F. Wall, I.M.S,, (*.M.Z.S. 



Part X with Plate X and Diagram 1. 



[Continued from page lOG of this Vohune.) 



The Bridal Snake (dryocalamds NYMPH a). 



Synonym, Hgdrophobus nj/mpha. 



Xomenclafure. (a) Scientific. — The generic name from the Greek 

 S;f; a tree and xaxa^os a reed, was first applied in 1858 by Giinther 

 to one of the species known from the Malayan Archipelago, viz., 

 tristrigatus. Xgmpha introduced by Daudin in 1803, is from the 

 Greek ^'-Vpi^ a bride, probably owing to the light coloured heads of 

 the two specimens figured by Russell* in his first volume suggesting 

 to his mind the nuptial veil worn by a bride. 



[h) English. — The Bridal snake suggests itself to me as a[i[)ropriate. 



(c) Vernacular. — The only name I can find is that used by Russell, 

 viz., " Katla vvrien." 



Dimensions. —I have seen two specimens measuring 1 foot 8 inche* 

 iind this is the greatest lenoth known to me. 



* lad. Serp. Plates XXXVI iiud XXXVII. 



