The Zoologist — Novkmber, 1869. 1899 



being lengthened, and the hood thus formed bears on its upper sur- 

 face the well-known mark of a pair of spectacles, hence sometimes 

 called the " spectacle snake." It varies very much in colour, some 

 being pale brown, others dark brown, others nearly black, and some 

 purplish brown. The snake-charmers give various names to these 

 varieties, some of which, however, are quite local ; and Mr. Lesson 

 has also given a distinct specific name to one variety. The spectacle 

 mark is in general most distinct in the pale-coloured varieties ; less so 

 in the black. The number of rows of scales on the body varies from 

 nineteen to twenty-three ; the large abdominal scutae or shields from 

 the chin to the vent from 180 to 190 ; and the subcaudal shields 

 from the vent to the end of the tail, which are in a double row, from 

 fifty to sixty — more or less. The celebrated asp of Egypt (Cleopatra's 

 adder) is the only other known species of cobra. 



2. BuNGARDS LiNEATUS. The " karait," popularly of Europeans, 

 figured by Russell, part 1, plate 1 ; said to be called karait 

 and kalla karetta in some parts; kulcha of snake-men 

 in Calcutta ; also called keoutia by many ; tirkheca at 

 Sanger. 



The genus Bungarus is similarly formed to the cobra ; but the sub- 

 caudal plates, or those under the tail from the vent, are in a single 

 row. The poison-fangs are not very large, and have a few smaller 

 teeth behind them, but none in front. This species, which is per- 

 haps the most common venomous snake throughout all India, is found 

 equally in barren plains and well-wooded country : it attains the 

 length of four feet or perhaps a trifle more occasionally, but is rarely 

 met with so large. The head is barely thicker than the neck : there 

 are fifteen rows of scales on the body ; the abdominal shields from 

 the chin to the vent are about two hundred, and there are forty or so 

 single ones under the tail. The colour is a dull black with narrow 

 white cross bands, very distinct when young but almost obliterated in 

 old snakes; the belly is white. 



There are one or two harmless snakes belonging to the genus 

 Lycodon, very similar in colour to the karait and often mistaken for it : 

 these can be readily distinguislied by having two rows of shields 

 under the tail, as well as by the presence in the harmless snakes of 

 teeth in front of the upper jaw. 



The next snake belongs to the viperidse, or Viper family, dis- 

 tinguished by having only the fang (which is usually very long) in the 

 upper jaw: this folds back when the mouth is shut, or the snake 



