ON THE COMMON INDIA N SNA KES. 239 



in contact with two scales behind. Scales. — Two heads lengths 

 behind head 17; midbody 17; two heads lengths before vent 

 13. Absorption from 17 to 15, the 4th row above the ventrals 

 is absorbed into the adjacent row above or below ; from 15 to 

 13 the two rows below the vertebral coalesce. Vertebral row 

 not enlarged, or modified. Costals not oblique. The last row en- 

 larged. Keels absent, or very faint in a few median rows at back of 

 body only ; when present cease in the sixes or fours of the supracau- 

 dals. Apical pits present. Ventrals. — 200 to 238 (Boulenger), broad, 

 the last costal row only partially seen on each side when specimen 

 laid on its back. A sharp keel on each side and corresponding notch 

 in the free edge of the shield. The last ventral divided like the 

 anal (Boulenger says sometimes, but I have never seen an exception), 

 and occasionally the penultimate also. Subcaudals. — 97 to 144. 

 Keeled and notched similarly to the ventrals. Anal. — Divided. 



Dentition. — Maxillary teeth 20 to 22, subequal, the last three a 

 little longer, and grooved ; anterior mandibular teeth longest. 

 (Boulenger.) 



FLYING SNAKES. 



A Postscript. — -At the present day there is a great tendency to 

 discredit any strange stories handed down to us from our forefathers. 



A certain section of the public, not without some reason however 

 openly scoffs at improbable stories, especially in connection with 

 snakes, the size of tigers, and other game, fish, etc., knowing the 

 tendency of men to exaggerate. 



Many a truth is repudiated, mentally if not verbally, tacitly scoff- 

 ed at and relegated to the level of a " good story " or a " traveller's 

 yarn". 



Certainly many travellers in the past and sportsmen of to-day are to 

 blame for this incredulity. There is no doubt, however, that Nature is 

 abundantly more subtle, and prolific in manifestations which are 

 little short of miraculous than is man's inventive genius, which is 

 dwarfed by comparison. 



Many of the incredulous school upon enlarging their minds have 

 to acknowledge themselves in error. A quotation such as that I have 



