JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOMBAY 



ral fttstorji 



Vol. XVI. BOMBAY. No 4- 



A POPULAR TREATISE ON THE COMMON INDIAN 



SNAKES. 



Illustrated by Coloured Plates and Diac4rams. 



By Captain F. Wall, I.M.S., C.M.Z.S. 



Part I. — With Plate I and Diagrams I, II and III. 



This and the succeeding articles with their accompanying plates and 

 diagrams are designed to acquaint our readers with the common snakes 

 of India. There is no book on the subject written in popular language, 

 and the few that show coloured plates are very expensive, while accuracy 

 of detail seems to have been largely sacrificed for pictorial effect. 



If our object can be achieved, and normal specimens easily recognized, 

 we hope that many lovers of natural history may be encouraged to make 

 and record observations on the habits of these creatures, for the letter- 

 press will, I fear, only too soon reveal the dearth of knowledge in this 

 direction even with regard to the commonest kinds. 



The descriptive parts of the best works are couched in terse and 

 scientific language, and though excellently written by experts in mus- 

 eums the authors have had no facilities for observing the habits of crea- 

 tures they only see in spirit on museum shelves. We must, therefore, 

 rely upon those who actually come into contact with living snakes to 

 supply such information. 



It will be my aim to word these articles in unscientific language, espe- 

 cially with reference to the important matter of identification. Here, if 

 technical terms must be used, they will be explained by outline drawings. 

 The final description cannot be so treated, and being incorporated for the 

 sake of completeness, is intended for those conversant with the subject. 

 1 



