62 MB. W. THEOBALD, JUN., ON THE 



snakes. Some men will eat it ; but it is not so esteemed for food 

 as the "Idm hwi" (Ptyas). This snake is, I believe, of inoffensive 

 habits, unless irritated, but is of course a dangerous neighbour to 

 have in a house. Not only in Birma, where the respect for life 

 is greatest, but in India also I have known a Cobra enticed or 

 forced into an earthen jar and then carried by two men, across a 

 river or some distance from the village, and liberated. The pro- 

 fessional snake-charmers, I believe, in Eirma liberate their snakes 

 after a few weeks' captivity, to prevent, I suppose, their dying of 

 starvation in their hands, and in deference to that tenderness for 

 animal life which is so charming a trait of Buddhism. 



Elaps, Schneider. 



E. MAOULIOEPS, Giinthcr. 



o: Adult. Body .... IS'OO 



Tail .... 125 = 19-25. 



Colour uniform pale brown, with a chain of thirty-six distant 

 not very distinct black dots down each side. Crown of the head 

 black, giving off a broad streak behind the eye and uniting with 

 a black collar on the nape. A subtorininal biaclc ring on Iho tail, 

 and a broader one at the base expanded above into a rhomboidal 

 escutcheon, with a narrow black median line down the tail above. 



This species is rai'e in Pegu, the above specimen, captured by 

 Mr, Eowle at Eangoon, being the only one I have seen. 



BuNGAiiTJS, Daiidin. 



B. EASCIATTTS, Schn. 



a. Adult male. Body .... 59-00 



Tail .... 0-00=65-00. 



h. Adult female. Body , . . . 51-50 



Tail .... 4-50= 50-00. 

 This snake, the " Gndn-tMn-g^oin-zoJc^^ of the Birmese, is very 

 common in Lower Pegu. It is of very sluggish liabits, and fre- 

 quents moist places and the vicinity of water. 



B. CJERULEUS, Schn. 



I think I have noticed skins of this species among collections 

 made at Port Blair ; but the specimens were too imperfect for me 

 to be certain. As I have never obtained it in either Pegu or 



