POISONOUS SNAKES. 24' 



an inhabitant of the Ueccan. I consequently gave the Times of 

 India a list of the poisonous snakes in our possession, all of which 

 had been killed in this Presidencey ; a list which, I think, reflects 

 great credit on this Society, when the short time during which the 

 collection has been got together is taken into consideration. Some 

 of the measurements we were able to give have already attracted the. 

 notice of the press in other parts of India, and I therefore think it 

 would be of interest to the members present, if ^ I were to draw 

 their attention to the specimens we possess of these particular 

 snakes. We have, you will observe, specimens of the following 

 poisonous snakes, all of which were killed in this Presidency : — 



Colubrine. — 1. Opkiophagus elaps. 2. Naga tripudians. 3. Bungarus 



arciudus. 4. Callophis trimaculatus. 5. Callopliis nigrescens. 



Viper me. — 6. Daboia elegans. 7. Echis eariuata. 8. Trimeresursu 

 anamallensis, 9. llypnale nepa. 



1. We will take, first, the great Colubrine snake, the Opkiopha- 

 gus elaps, the "Hamadryad" or "King Cobra," which is probably 

 the largest poisonous snake in the world. I say probably, as there is 

 one in New Guinea, lachesis matus, a viperine suake belonging to 

 the (Jrotalidae, which is said to reach 14 feet in length. Fortunately, 

 the Hamadryad is nob very common. Dr. Gunther, the well-known 

 ophiologist, says that the Hamadryad is found in alt parts of the 

 Indian Continent, in the Andamaus (where, I hear, it is eaten by the 

 natives), the Philippines, Java, Sumatra and Borneo. As its name 

 implies, it feeds principally on snakes and other reptiles. Owing to 

 the fact of its expanding a " hood " it is frequently mistaken for a 

 cobra, but, as you will see by comparing the specimens before you, 

 the plates or shields on the head of the Hamadryad differ materially 

 from those of the cobra. According to Sir Joseph Fayrer, the natives 

 of Bengal call it the '"Sunkerchor," a " breaker of shells," but he 

 gives no explanation of this name. The snake-men about here do 

 not appear to know the Hamadryad, but it is, undoubtedly, an 

 inhabitant of this Presidency. We have received a skin of one from 

 Carwar measuring 12 feet 6 inches, and another from the Goanese 

 Ghauts which is 15 feet 5 inches in length. Major Beddome 

 of Madras, says he has killed one nearly 14 feet near Cuttack in 

 Bengal, where it is common. A few years ago one was caught 

 in the Konkan by Mr. Bulkley, who tried to take it to England 

 alive, so we have ample proof of its occurring iu this part of India. 



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