18 BUNGARUS. 
Bungarus fasciatus. 
This species is the “ Sankni,” or “ Bungarum Pamah” of the Coro- 
mandel Coast (Russell), ‘‘ Rajsamp” of some natives. It varies in size 
from four to six or eight feet. Giinther describes it as follows :—“ The 
first temporal shield is scarcely larger than high ventrals 200-233 ; 
sub-caudals, 32-36. Body with alternate broad black and yellowish 
rings, extending across the belly ; there are from twenty-five to thirty- 
three of these black rings round the trunk ; the first is the broadest, 
and produced into a triangular process, the point of which rests on the 
vertical shield. Head black anteriorly and on the sides separated from 
the triangular process by a yellow V-like mark. Lower parts and 
throat uniform yellow.” The trigonal shape of its body with. sharp 
dorsal ridge and declining sides are noted by Russell. ‘The hexa- 
gonal vertebral shield, and hard, blunt, and almost bony end of tail, are 
very strongly marked.” 
“The Bungarus fasciatus,’ says Sir Joseph Fayrer, “is tolerably 
common in Bengal and in Southern India, as well as Burmah, and it is 
also known in the North-West, where it is sometimes called ‘ Koclia 
Krait.’ Its bite is very dangerous, but the police returns do not show 
that it causes many deaths; probably because it is not so much in the 
way of being met with as the cobra or krait. Its fangs are relatively to 
those of the cobra very small, and its bite in dogs causes death much 
slower than the cobra’s bite. It is much less valued by the snake-men 
than the cobra, as it does not erect its head, nor is it amenable to 
their tuition. Dogs bitten by Bungarus fasciatus died at various periods 
from four hours twenty-eight minutes to ten days.” 
