JOURNAL 



OP THE 



paturHl Mmtm% ^ukt^. 



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Vol. m. BOMBAY. No. 3. 



THE KING-COBRA, OR HAMADRYAD— iV^/1/^ BUNGARUS 

 (Boulenger), OPHIOPHAGUS EL APS (Gunther). 

 By Vety. Capt. G. H. Evans. 

 {With a Plate.) 



Burmese. — Guau-Gnan-bok. 



Karen. — Gni-thaw — Gni-thaw-plaw. 



Shan. — Gnu-son-an. 



The Hamadryad is at least by its notoriously evil reputation known 

 to a large number of our readers, and having seen something of this 

 reptile, it occurred to me that a paper on the subject might prove of 

 some interest. This snake may be met with in suitable localities 

 throughout this province and adjoining States, Many of us have heard 

 of exciting encounters with, and hair-breadth escapes from, this much- 

 dreaded reptile. On looking over some books on Burma I came across 

 the following remarks in Mason's work ; — " Burma, its People and Pro- 

 ductions," revised by Theobald, Volume I, pages 309 and 310 : — " The 

 Hamadryad is the most formidable reptile in the country. It may be 

 described in general terms as a magnificent variety of the cobra, but 

 has no markings on it. It bears the character of being a very fierce 

 snake and of always pursuing when attacked. I met one on the 

 Toungoo Hills, two or three years ago, when accompanied by a dozen 

 Karens. We all stopped, and the brute being some ten or twelve feet 

 long, no one was disposed to attack him. He glided close by us in a 

 very deliberate manner, seeming to say, * Let me alone, and I will let 

 you alone,' and we accepted the terms. One of these serpents, about 



