UF.ni'ETOLOGY. 311 



' Bunpinis,' iinti the 'rat-snake,' tlic iliffcront species being distinguished liy (juali- 

 fying adj(!etivcs, and the same snake has sometimes two or three speeitie names. 

 Thus the Hamadiyad is most usually called ' riiidnpouk,' 'the dark gnan/ particu- 

 larly api)licablc to the dark colour of old iiulividuals. The name ' gmin ' is deri\'ed 

 from the word 'ffiuin,' signifying, 'a certain venomous influence supposed to occasion 

 certain diseases' (Judson's dictionary). It cannot therefore be appropriately 

 applied to any but veuomcms serpents; but owing in part to want of discrimination, 

 and in part to ignorance, the name is often applied to others." 



C.vLi.ornis, Gr/!!/. 



Scales smooth, in 13 rows. Caudal shield in two rows. 



C. iKTESTixALis, Laur. 



Scales smooth, in 13 rows. A red vertebral stripe bordered with black. A buff- 

 coloured band bordered with blat-U along the edges of the two outer rows of scales. 

 Head brown, black-spotted. Belly barred alternately yellow and black, the black 

 bars being broadest. Tail with three black rings generally. Grows to 2-1 inches. 



Inhabits Upper Burma. 



This species is remarkable for the extraordinary development of its poison 

 glands, which are somewhat more than one-third the length of the body, running 

 along the ventral side, and occujjying laterally the alimentaiy and respiratory 

 canal. (J, A. S. B. 1870, ii p. 212.) C. /iiiif/nfus, Boie, is the only other species 

 known to possess the same remarkable structure, and it is readily known by its 

 immaculate vennilion head, belly and tail. 



C. TiUMACui.ATrs, Baud. 



Scales smooth, in 13 rows. Colour above light bay, an indistinct line formed by 

 minute brown dots along each row of scales. Head black and yellow-spotted. Belly 

 rod. Tail with two black rings, marbled with yellow. Grows to 12 inches and 

 probably more. 



Inhabits Tenasscrim. 



C. MACCLiCEPs, Giinther. 



Scales smooth, in 13 rows. Colour uniform pale brown, with a chain of 3G distant 

 black dots down each side of back. Head and a collar on the najje black. A sul)- 

 tcrmiiial black ring on the tail, and a black median line and a black band at thu 

 base of the tail expanded above into a rhomboidal escutcheon. Grows to 24 inches. 



Inhabits Pegu and Tcnasserim. 



BuNGAitrs, JDaudin. 



Scales smooth, in 13 to 15 rows. Candal shields single or entire. 



B. FOK5I0SUS, Gray. 



B.flaviceps, Itein. 



Scales smooth, in 13 rows. The vertebral series enlarged. Coloiir black. 

 The head, nccU, and a thin vertebral line bright red. Belly red, or red posteriorly, 

 black in front. Gray's name for this snake is preferable, as ' flaviceps ' is only 

 applicable after the animal has changed colour from keeping in spirits. Grows to 

 73 inches. 



Inhabits Tenasserim and according to Dr. Mason Toung-ngoo. 



B. cjEEDLEUs, Schn. 



Scales smooth, in 15 rows. The vertebral series enlarged. Colour above glossy 

 black, with extremely narrow white reticulated cross-bands, often obsolete or indistinct. 

 Grows to 48 inches. 



This snake is rare in Burma, but occurs in Pegu and the Andamans. It is the 

 ' Krait ' of India, so justly dreaded, and is not unlike some of the varieties of the harm- 

 less Lijcodon aalicuK, or car|)et snake, wliich may account for the dread that snake is 

 held in. It also somewliat resembles the repulsive-looking Xenopeltis unicolor, but that 

 species has five occipital shields, and no pale reticulations. 



