f> , JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HLST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI. 



which Eryx is one. The genus Eryx of which jacuhis is the type 

 has seven species inhabiting North and East Africa, and Central 

 and Southern Asia. Three of these, viz.,jacidus, conicus, n,ndjohni, 

 occur Avithin Indian limits. 



ERYX CONIC US (Schneider). 

 Russell's Earth Snake. 



History. — * The first certain reference to this snake was made by 

 Russell who described and figured it unmistakeably in 1796. It 

 is not certain, whether the Vipera orientalis referred to by Seba in 

 1734, or the Serpens indica of Boiquatraza, are identical with E. 

 conicus, though this may be the case. 



Nome7iclature — (a) Scientific. — The generic name appears to be 

 derived from the Greek " eruo " I drag along, probably in allusion 

 to the feeble powers of progression of the type jaculus. Daudin. 

 introduced the name in 1803. Conicus from the Latin conical, 

 suggested itself to Schneider in 1801, on account of the peculiar 

 short and conically shaped tail. 



(b) English. — The Common Earth Snake suggests itself, but the 

 fact that John's Earth Snake {E. johni) is also common, deters one 

 from accepting this as appropriate. I think Russell's name should 

 be associated with it, and Linne's name with its close ally jaculus. 



(c) Vernacular. — It is confused by natives so frequently with 

 John's Earth Snake, that many of the names in use apply to 

 both species. Russell says about Vizagapatam it is called "padain 

 cootoo." "mondipoda," and " manooli pampoo " (pamboo?). The 

 last is certainly one of its commonest names in S. India, and is the 

 Tamil for "earth-dweller." Other common names are " manoo 

 pamboo" or earth snake, " mannary," "mannooly," or man- 

 nooni " malaj^alanm words meaning "sand or earth eater." 

 " Mandally " is another, and the one in frequent use about 

 Malabar. I have known it called " kuley pamboo '" or mud snake 

 and Russell also mentions " pedda poda." In Mysore its Canarese 

 name is " itallay havu "or " two-headed snake." Mr. Millard tells 

 me that at Ratnagiri it goes by the name of " kander," and about 



* Ind. Serp., Vol. 1, p. 5, pi. IV. 



