L IS T OF SNAKES TA KEN IN TRA VA NCOR E. 75 



every compound they went to. At last they went to the Police Office, 

 where they goon captured a couple which were promptly impounded 

 by the inspector, much against the wishes of the charmers, and were 

 at once sent to me. I examined them and found that the fangs had 

 been removed, thus showing that the charmers had by sleight of hand 

 introduced the snakes, which they pretended were wild. i!^eedles3 

 to say the men disappeared, in order probabl}'' to renew their stock- 

 in-trade. One of the cobras I kept alive, the other I killed and 

 displayed in the Museum with its mouth open, and a legend detailing 

 how it came into my possession, as a warning to the credulous. 



These snakes appear to prefer the larger kinds of frogs, especially 

 large specimens of Rana tigrina. In captivity they take these with 

 avidity, but ai-e not attracted by the smaller kinds. They are capable 

 of swallowing very large creatures proportionately to their own size. 

 One was brought in that was about four feet long. At one part of its 

 body it measured eight inches in circumference, the skin was much 

 stretched and the scales widely separated. On cutting it open a water 

 lizard ( Varanus hengatensis), two feet long, was taken out whole. 



NoAa hungarus. — 'This is not u common snake, but may be met with 

 at various elevations in the forest. I have it recorded from Ponmudi, 

 Pirmerd, and from the foot of the hills. The largest specimen we 

 have is eleven and a half feet long. The young ones are conspicuously 

 banded. I have never heard of any one being attacked by this 

 snake. On one occasion I rode over one which came suddenly out of 

 the jungle and passed between my pony's legs. 



Enhydris curtus. — Of the sea snakes little can be said ; they are 

 brought in from time to time by the fishermen. Of this particular 

 species we have three specimens. 



Hydras platuriis. — Three specimens. 



HydrophU torquatus. — A single specimen. 



Enhjdrina valakadien, — Three specimens. 



Distira ornata. — Two specimens. 



D/'stira stokesi, — One specimen. 



Family VIPERID^. 



Vipera russellii. — This is a common snake in the low country and 

 very dangerous on account of its sluggish habits. It is fairly common 



