NOTES ON SNAKES COLLECTED JN OPPEn ASSAM. 841 



Naia bungarim (Schlegel), 

 I only secured one specimen, though the hanuKh-yad would appeal- 

 to be by no means uncommon hi Assam. The one brought to me 

 was a ^11 feet 5 inches in length, the tail 2 feet 1^ inches. 

 This was killed within 3 miles of Dibrugarh. The venlrals were 243, 

 and the subcaudals 93 : the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th only of the latter beincr 

 entire. The scales at a point two heads-lengths behind the head 

 were 17, in midbody 15, and two heads-lengths before the anus 15. 

 The reduction from 17 to 15 was brought about by the coalescence 

 of the 4th and 5th rows above the ventrals. The vertebral row was 

 slightly enlarged. It was olive-brown, rather darker in shade poste- 

 riorly, and had very obscure light narrow bands which became much 

 more apparent on separating the scales. The fang was ^ inch long. 



Tliough unfortunate in acquiring specimens, I was able to collect a 

 good deal of information about this snake from various planters and 

 others. 



Mr. Gardiner of Tezpur, who has captured specimens for the 

 Calcutta Zoological Gardens, was also successful in securing the 

 living specimen sent last year to our Society's collection. He tells me 

 the Assamese call this and the cobra " fatty sap." 



Mr. J. H. Bandock told me that one was killed some years ago 

 at Margherita, which measured 14 feet 6 inches. Mr. N. C. Manders' 

 coolies killed another specimen of the same length at Talup 

 on the 17th October last year. I wrote to him about it, and 

 he !ent me a sketch of the shields on the head which placed 

 the identification beyond question. This was found asleep in a 

 drain in the day-time by his coolies, and when disturbed, menaced 

 them with expanded hood. It was, he says, black with a pale 

 throat. His coolies, who are Indians, probably Santals, called it 

 "nag," and ' nauk samp," He says this creature called to mind 

 another which was killed in or near the same drain about 7 years 

 before, measuring about 10 feet. This was a truculent beast that used 

 to stop the coolies going along the road. 



As regards? food, Mr. Moore told me that he well remem})ers one 

 being killed in North Cachar which, when cut open, contained a 

 large monitor lizard. Here I may remark that another specimen killed 

 at Biixa Dooars last year, measuring 9 feet 11^ inches, was found to 

 have swallowed a large monitor lizard 3 feet 9 inches long. Captain 



