SNAKES OF CEYLON. 185 



species of snakes. It "would be impossible for a grasp to be 

 maintained upon the teat without driving home many of the 

 needle-pointed teeth, and inflicting an amount of pain no 

 animal could passively tolerate upon so sensitive a structure. 

 Others attribute to it the curious practice of putting its tail up 

 the cow's nostril and suddenly withdrawing it. What 

 originated this strange belief , and what possible end it might 

 fulfil, is hard even to speculate upon. 



Again, it is very generally believed among natives that the 

 ratsnake mates with the cobra, and is, in fact, the male cobra, 

 and it is surprising to me that even some educated English 

 people seriously contemplate such an absurdity, and still 

 further so firmly believe it, as to attempt to vindicate the 

 truth of their assertions. I have more than once engaged in a 

 heated discussion on this subject, but after listening to many 

 assurances, the confession has been invariably elicited that 

 the sexes of the supposed engaging parties had never been 

 investigated. 



I think the most convincing argument in disproof of this 

 fable lies in the fact that there are beyond dispute both male 

 and female cobras and both male and female dhamans. One 

 may assume they breed true, since no hybrid, as far as I am 

 aware, has ever been recorded. If the outrageous attachment 

 between Mr. Dhaman and Mrs. Cobra were true, our Museums 

 should be well stocked with evidences of their guilt. It is 

 satisfactory to note, when reflecting upon this alleged flagrant 

 laxity of morals, that one never hears even a whispered 

 imputation breathed by these scandal mongers against the 

 characters of Mr. Cobra and Mrs. Dhaman. 



The Rev. Mr. John appears to have originated the idea of an 

 attachment between the cobra and the dhaman, for Russell 

 says Mr. John told him, speaking of the dhaman, that it was 

 often found in company with the cobra. The fact is these 

 snakes are of similar habit and seek out similar quarters, but 

 companionship is merely a matter of accident. 



Russell says : " The natives say it is not dangerous, but 

 assert that its bite occasions blindness in persons over forty." 

 Again he says the Rev. Mr. John tells him that the sharpness 

 of its scales sometimes does harm to rice grounds. 



29 6(6)20 



