A POPULAR TREATISE ON INDIAN SNAKES. 3 



In Mysore a Cauarese Dictionary I referred to gives " Mandalatha 

 bavu " as the local name. "Havu" means snake. Rice in his work 

 on Mysore * gives the Canarese name for it as " Kolaku Mandala." 

 On the Ooromandel Coast about Vizagapatam Russell gives its local 

 name as " Katuka rekula poda,'' which I am told is Telugu, an' 

 refers to blackish spots. 



About Bombay and in the Konkan it is known as the " Ghanas." 

 In Guzerat Mosse says it is called " Cbitar," and Fenton in the 

 Dantra District " Khad chitra." " Khad, " according to the latter, 

 signifies "grass" and " Ohitar " or "Chitra" recalls to mind other 

 native names for spotted creatures.f 



In Sind I am told it is called " Koraile." 



In Bengal it is known as " Bora,'' " Chandra bora," " Uloo bora," 

 " Jessur," and " Siah chandra amaiter " according to Fayrer. " Bora " 

 probably implies spotted.!? " Chandra" = moon, and refers as usual to 

 the spots. "Uloo "is the name for "grass." The Burmese call it 

 " Mwe" bwe," meaning ringworm snake, its marks suggesting a skin 

 disease. 



Dimensions. — The largest specimen I have measured was a stuffed 

 one in Trichinopoly 5 feet 3 inches in length. Lieut.-Colonel Fenton 

 recorded one in this Journal^ 5 feet 4-| inches long, and Mr. Brook 

 Fox§ two measuring 5 feet 6 inches each. This is the largest record 

 known to me. Specimens exceeding 5 feet are exceptional. 



Bodily configuration. — The girth is remarkable. I think this 

 viper is of stouter build than any other Indian snake, and its capability 

 of inflating itself under excitement, premonitory to its violent hiss, 

 accentuates this peculiarity. 



The head is flat, and broadens considerably posteriorly so as to make 

 a moderate neck appear unduly small. A pronounced ridge (cant/ms 

 rostralis) runs from the supercilium to the top of the snout. The eye 

 is moderate in size, the iris golden, and the pupil vertical. The nostril 



* Vol. I., p. 188. 



t Blanford in his Fauna of British India, Mammalia, eives "Chita" and "Chitra" as. 

 local native names for the hunting Leopard (Cyncelurm jubatus). Again he mentions native 

 synonyms as " Chital " and '• Chitra" for the spotted deer [Cervus axis). " Chita " is also- 

 applied to the Leopard (h'elis pard/ts). 



t I notice the spotted deer, according to Blanford, is called in Bengal " Boro khotiya ". 



U Vol. XVI, page 17;i. 



8 Vol. VIII, page 565. 



