Batit—TJdentification of the Animals and Plants of India. 229 
27. Serpent (“Odis). 
Python molurus, Linn.—The Python. 
Pliny® tells us that, according to Megasthenes, ‘‘serpents in India 
grow to such asize that they swallow stags and bulls whole.” 
This is a somewhat exaggerated account of the capabilities of the 
Indian python, which is, however, sometimes thirty feet long, and three 
feet, or even more, in circumference. That it can kill and eat deer 
seems to be a well- attested fact, though how it would dispose of one 
with horns I cannot say. I know of one story recorded by an English- 
man, where in Sambalpur the natives were in the habit of tethering 
goats near some rocks occupied by a monster snake, as an offering, 
which he very freely accepted and disposed of. 
There is an account by Capt. E. A. Langley™ of an encounter be- 
tween one of these snakes of the above dimensions and a sportsman, 
whose dog was first killed by the snake. After it had been shot, a dead 
deer was found, which it had been about to swallow when disturbed by 
the dog. 
The stories of monster snakes killing and eating horned cattle seem 
more than doubtful. 
28. (‘Odis Gardooros). 
Hydrophis, Sp. (?)—Sea-snakes. 
The sea-snakes of the Indian seas are thus referred to by Avlian :® 
“The Indian sea breeds sea-snakes, which have broad tails, and the 
lakes breed hydras (crocodiles?) of immense size; but these sea- 
snakes appear to inflict a bite more sharp than poisonous.” 
The species of Hydrophis have broad tails, as described by lian ; 
but he underrates the effects of their bite; for although, as Mr. Theobald® 
states, ‘‘their fangs are small, their venom is extremely potent.” 
They may be seen swimming in numbers near some partsof the coast of 
the peninsula of India and the islands of the Bay of Bengal. I have taken 
them in a net towed from the deck of a steamer ; and on one occasion, 
on the island of Preparis, I came upon an eagle ( Cuncuma lecoogaster) 
in the act of eating one; quite a pile of snake bones being at the foot of 
what was evidently his favourite perch. 
Aslian’s hydras I cannot identify, unless they be crocodiles; but 
these he elsewhere describes, under the name skolex. (See p. 326.) 
65 Hist. Nat., viii. 14, 1. 
66 Motte in Asiatic Annual Register, London, 1766. 
67 Narrative of a Residence at the Court of Meer Ali Moorad. 
68 Hist. Anim., xvi. 2,8. Cf. Megasthenes, by J..W. M‘Crindle, p. 163. 
69 Catalogue of Reptiles of British India, Appendix, p. 2. 
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