CLASS III. REPTILIA: ORDER 4. OPIIIDIA. 



395 



of the sort occurred. The mungoos left not the conflict for a breathing-space ; and at the end 

 of about ten minutes, the cobra di capello lay dead, torn and mangled piecemeal by the little 

 animal, which frisked and danced about, with a purring sound, iu a perfect frenzy of enjoyment. 



" As I held out my hand, actually believing, in the enthusiasm of the moment, that it would 

 approach to receive my caresses, the mungoos, giving a bright, quick look at me, stamped its 

 tiny feet briskly on the relics of the serpent, as if in scorn of its victim, and disappeared among 

 the brushwood. I had forgotten the poor monkey. I found it stretched out, stiff and stark, 

 among the datura flowers. The mungoos had come too late !" 



There appear to be several other species of this venomous genus in India and the contiguous 

 islands, as the JV. Bungarus of Java and Sumatra ; the N. Bungaroidcs^ a somewhat smaller spe- 

 cies, found in the same countries ; the N. jwrphyrica and N. curta, natives of Australia, &c. 



Genus HAMADRYAS : Hamadryas. — To this belong several species of hooded serpents, re- 

 sembling the cobra di capello, one of which is the Sunkr Choar or Great Hooded Tree-Snake 

 of India, //. ophiophagus ; their poison is, however, less active, though generally fatal. They are 

 said to feed on other serpents ; it is probable that the accounts given of very large cobras, meas- 

 uring from ten to fifteen feet, refer to species of hamadryas. 



There are several other genera of Viperida^ according to Dr. Gray, as Daboia, Uchis^ and Sepedon. 

 Some belong to Asia, but the greater part to Africa. 



THE COLUBRmA. 



Nature seems to have delighted in the form of the serpent, for it is not only multiplied exceed- 

 ingly throughout the warm parts of the earth, but these animals are greatly diversified in their 

 endowments. Some are of enormous size and power, others are not larger than a withe ; the 

 most vivid colors, green, red, and yellow, are bestowed on some, while others are of somber 

 black or brown ; many have poisonous fangs, and inflict death by their bite ; others, and nuich 

 the larger number, are harmless. The Colubrina, especially, are numerous, and, comprising ser- 

 pents of very different attributes, have been very differently arranged by naturalists. Not 

 attempting to follow any of these systems, we shall only present brief descriptions of some of 

 the most interesting groups belonging to this division. 



THE BICOLOUED SKA-S.NAKK. 



THE HYDRIDiE, OR SEA-SNAKES. 



Tliese are confined to the seas of Asia, and the Asiatic and Polynesian Islands, seldom even 

 ascending the mouths of rivers. It is said, indeed, that they cannot live in fresh water, but 

 this is probably a mistake, as they are air-breathing animals, and visit the shore, where, in fact, 

 they deposit their eggs. They are often seen at sea asleep, and are then easily captured. They 



