POPULAR TREATISE ON THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 17 



do not even know whether it is oviparoiis, or viviparous though it 

 is probably the former. The season when mating occurs, and the 

 time of year when the young appear are similarly unknown. The 

 smallest specimen I know of is the one mentioned by Russell, 9^ 

 inches long, probably a hatchling, which came from Bengal, but 

 no date of capture is given. 



Observations on the breeding habits are badly wanted, and with 

 so common a snake, and one that thrives so well in captivity these 

 observations should not be difficult to collect. 



Blnughincj. — In the Madras Museum some years ago attention 

 was directed to this function with the following results : — One 

 desquamated on 1-4-95, 3-5-95, 22-10-95 and 21-2-96. Another 

 (if not the same) on 24-4-96, 28-6-96, 18-9-96 and 14-1-97. A 

 third (if not the same specimen) on 2-8-97, 10-11-97 and 17-3-98. 

 It thus appears to slough about four times annually at intervals 

 varying from one to five months, and at no special season of the 

 year. 



Legends. — Russell tells us that in his day the natives in Southern 

 India declared that the bite of this snake produced leprosy. The 

 belief is still as firm there now, even a lick from its tongue being, 

 natives declare, sufficient to cause that terrible malndy. The Rev. 

 C. Liegh, S. J., and Dr. Henderson have both written to me to this 

 efiect. In the Punjab they say that if it once bites any one, the 

 bitten subject will be again bitten on each succeeding anniversary 

 of the accident by the same snake, which however is quite invi- 

 sible to everyone, but its victim. 



The belief that it has two heads, one at each end seems to be 

 universal. The natives in Southern India, Lower Bengal, and 

 the Punjab all say the same, and their names for it are founded 

 on this assumption. In Lower Bengal and in the Punjab they say 

 that the reptile uses each head alternately for six months. The 

 obstinacy of the native in crediting fabulous stories of this des- 

 cription is most extraordinary. Even if one takes the trouble to 

 demonstrate the true character of the tail, and a native has been 

 prevailed upon to look attentively, he prefers to allow his imagina- 

 tion to override his common sense, and to discredit the evidence 

 of his own eyes. 

 3 



