62 THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



it is probably only to be found at this corner of our Indian possessions. 

 It is a desert form inhabiting sandy tracts. 



Poison. — Nothing is known. 



Dimensions. — The largest specimen was about 2 feet. 



Colour. — Red(iish sandy brown, with white edged dark-brown spots 

 along the back. 



VIFEHA ET7SSSLLI— Russell's Viper, tlxe Chain Viper, the Saboia. 



The " Tic polonga" of Ceylon. *' Kanardi virian " of Tamils in 

 Madras. *' Mandali " of Malabar, "ilandalatha havu," and according 

 to Ric(3 "'Kolaku mandala" of Mysore. The "Bora," "Chundra bora," 

 *'Siah chunder amaitar," and •'Jessur'" of Bengal according to Fayrer. 

 The " Katuka rekula poda " of Russell ( Coromandel coast?). The 

 •' Gunnus " of Bombay. The ** Chitar " of Guzerat according to 

 Mosse. The •' Khad cliitra " of Dantra District in the Bombay Presi- 

 dency according to Fenton. lam told the "Korail" of Sind. The 

 " Mwe-bwe " of Burmah. Probably also the " Cobra monil " of some 

 natives as suggested by Jerdon ; literally '• necklace snidie" in Portu- 

 guese, and like other names dating from the Portuguese occupation of 

 India, such as "biscobra, " its significance has become obscured, and 

 surrounded with mystery by the native mind. 



fdentification. — The sublinguals touching 4 or 5 infralabials, the 

 subcaudals divided, and the o series of large dorsal spots when occur- 

 ring in the same specimen will establish the diagnosis. 



Supplementary character.^. — Supraocular a single shield. JSasal 

 touches the rostral and the 1st supralabial. Eye. — Diameter exceeds 

 distance of eye to nostril, and is subequal to its distance to the labial 

 margin in the adult ; 2 or 3 rows of scales between it and the labial 

 margin. 4th supralabial the largest of the series. Sublinguals touch 4 

 or 5 infralabials and 2 scales behind. Infralabials T) large normally, the 

 5th touching 2 scales behind. Scales in miiibody 27 to 33. Ventrals 

 not ridged laterally. Suhcaudals divided. 



Distribution. — Ceylon. Peninsula India from Cape Comorin to the 

 Ganges. It is I believe not found to the North of this River,* and 

 though common in the Irrawady Basin is not known from the Brah- 

 maputra Basin. To the West it extends throughout the Indus Basin 

 from North Sind to the Himalayas. It is chiefly an inhabitant of 



* I am aware of the record by Sclater of Piirnaih, but this solitary record I think calls 

 for confirmation. 



