100 SIR JOSEPH FAYRER, K.C.S.I., ETC., 



with brown margin, a triangular, brown, black-edged spot 



behind the eye ; ventral surface yellowish, or marbled with 

 more or less numerous semi-circular brown spots, on the 

 hinder margin of the ventral shields. It attains a consider- 

 able length, forty to fifty inches. It is common in Bengal, 

 the south of India, Ceylon and Burmah, and probably maybe 

 found all over the plains and on the hills, up to 6,000 feet, in 

 Cashmir, but its usual habitat is lower. 



Fowls bitten by it sometimes die in less than a minute. It 

 is nocturnal, is sluggish, and does not readily strike unless 

 irritated, when it bites with great fury ; it hisses fiercely and 

 strikes with great vigour. Its long movable fangs are very 

 prominent objects, and with them it is capable of inflicting 

 deep, as well as poisoned wounds. It does not appear to cause 

 many human deaths, but its misdeeds may be sometimes 

 ascribed to the cobra. The daboia is said to kill cattle when 

 grazing, by biting them about the nose or mouth. In proof 

 of its sluggish nature, there is a well authenticated story of a 

 young person having picked one up, and mistaking it for an 

 innocent snake, carried it home. Its true nature was 

 discovered when it bit a dog. It had not attempted to injure 

 the person who carried it. 



There is only one Indian species of Ecliis, Echis carinata 

 (kuppur, afae). This snake is much smaller than the daboia, 

 but grows to the length of 20 inches or more ; it is terrestrial. 

 It is found in the North- West Provinces, Punjab, Central 

 Provinces, Scinde, and generally in the south of India, in the 

 Anamally Hills, in the Oamatic, and in the vicinity of Madras. 

 It is of a brownish-grey colour, with a series of quadrangular 

 or sub-ovate whitish spots, edged with dark brown ; a semi- 

 circular band on each side of the dorsal spots enclosing a 

 round, dark-brown, lateral spot ; a pair of oblong, brown, 

 black-edged spots on the centre of the head, converging 

 anteriorly ; a brownish spot below and a broad streak behind 

 the eye ; ventral surface, whitish, with brown specks. The 

 scales are keeled ; those on the lateral series have their tips 

 directed downwards obliquely ; the friction of these against 

 each other causes a peculiar rustling sound. 



The Echis is a very fierce viper; it throws itself into an 

 attitude of defence and offence, coiled up like a spring, rust- 

 ling its carinated scales as it moves one fold of the body 

 against another. It does not wait to be attacked before 

 darting its head and body at its enemy, the mouth wide open, 

 and the long fangs vibrating, presenting a most menacing 



