252 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The well-known Blood-sucker (Calotes) has nowadays a yellow 

 colour, but in the distant past it was of quite a sombre hue. A 

 certain king (Marutha) was once performing a ceremony, and all 

 the devas (gods) were present, chief among them being Indra 

 (king of the devas), Yama (king of death), Varuna (lord of 

 waters), and Kubera (god of wealth), when suddenly the demon 

 Eavana appeared, whereupon each of these four gods at once 

 assumed the form of his mount — Indra becoming a Peacock, 

 Yama a Crow, Varuna a Swan, and Kubera Calotes. Eavana, 

 noticing merely the animals, went away without recognising that 

 they were the gods themselves. Up to this time all four 

 animals had been black in colour, but when the demon retired 

 each deva retransformed to his usual shape, and each gave his 

 animal a boon. The Peacock got its beautiful plumage and 

 the thousand eyes of the god now seen in its tail-feathers. It 

 was also made immune to snake-bite. Yama promised the Crow 

 that it should never die unless slain by man, that it should always 

 be healthy, and that it should always, when eating, do so in 

 company. For this last reason people call the Crows down to 

 join in their meals, but it must not be forgotten that the souls 

 of their fathers in heaven are satisfied when they see the Crows 

 fed. The Swan was made white by Varuna, who said that from 

 henceforth it would feel much more at home on water than on 

 land. Kubera's favour to Calotes was to make it his own colour, 

 that of yellow gold. 



Snakes are so very common that they enter of necessity into 

 the life and worship of the people. Probably the very earliest 

 form of worship in India was simply that of the Snake. The 

 Hindu recognises nine Snakes, all concerned in supporting 

 the world. First of all and most important of these comes 

 Adisesha with its thousand heads, upon which Vishnu reclines 

 as it floats on the sea. This great Snake, according to one 

 account, supports the world. Sometimes the globe rests heavily 

 upon it, so that it shakes a little, and dwellers on the earth feel 

 the tremors of earthquakes. Yet the Snake is patient and 

 enduring in its task, and man should emulate its uncom- 

 plaining spirit. Man should be patient as Adisesha. 



Long, long ago Adisesha quarrelled with the wind as to 

 which vv^as the stronger of the two. The great Hindu trinity — 



