ON SERPENT-WORSHIP AND VENOMOUS SNAKES. 



91 



some will eat eggs — the cobra robs the hen roosts, or devours 

 insects, molluscs, and even, it is said, vegetable matter; and 

 some are cannibals — the ophiophagus and callophis live on 

 snakes. In captivity they will, it is said, drink milk. 



Snakes differ in their habits and modes of life, and are 

 grouped accordingly. Tree and grass snakes live in the 

 trees, bushes, and grass, and are often coloured like the 

 vegetation they frequent ; their tails are prehensile. When 

 slender, they are called whip snakes ; innocent and poisonous 

 forms are found among these. Ground snakes are found in 

 all three sub-orders; the great proportion belong to this group. 



Burrowing snakes live much under ground, have a rigid, 

 cylindrical body, short tail, narrow mouth, small teeth, and 

 are all innocent. 



There are fresh-and salt-water snakes. The salt-water 

 snakes are adapted for an aquatic life, and are venomous; 

 the fresh-water snakes have not the same characters as the 

 Hydrophidae, and are innocent — a curious fact ! The Hydro- 

 phidae are viviparous. 

 I. 



Viperiform {Dahoia Russellii). 



l . k . .r 



Colttbeiform {Naja tripudians). 

 P 



