SNAKES OE CEYLOtt. 533 



the full force of the sun, or may retire beneath stones, or into 

 clefts and crannies of rock, so baked with the sun's rays that 

 the hand cannot bear contact with them. Yet even under 

 such conditions it seems to rely solely on the juices of the 

 animals it eats for the moisture necessary to assuage its thirst. 

 It sometimes takes refuge in holes in the ground, as I have 

 good reason to know when digging along the burrows leading 

 to the nests of the green bee-eater (Merops viridis). The 

 sudden and unexpected introduction to this, or any other 

 snake in such circumstances, detracts much from the pleasure 

 of birds' nesting in this country. 



I have occasionally known it come into the house. The 

 late Mr. L. C. H. Young reported one which he found moving 

 round his dinner table, and in Trichinopoly I once found one 

 which had climbed on to the top of my verandah chick. I 

 have one or two other records of the echis climbing. 



(b) Disposition : This is the most vicious snake I know. 

 Not only is it extremely apt to bite on the smallest provocation, 

 but' strikes out without hesitation and with great malice. 

 These disagreeable traits in its character, and the extreme 

 velocity with which it delivers its stroke, combine to make it 

 a most dangerous reptile to meet unawares, or to have any 

 dealings with when fully on the " qui-vive," either in effecting 

 capture or whilst in captivity. The lightning-like rapidity 

 with which it strikes, delivers its bite, and regains its former 

 attitude, must be witnessed to be fully appreciated. The 

 manner in which it exactly resumes the position it occupied 

 before striking, which is characteristic, has left me sometimes 

 wondering whether a stroke had been delivered at all, or my 

 senses had deceived me. 



(c) Striking Posture : This is very characteristic, and 

 excellently described by Fayrer who says : "The echis is very 

 fierce and aggressive — it is always on the defensive, ready to 

 attack ; it throws itself into a double coil, the folds of which 

 are in perpetual motion, and as they rub against each other 

 they make a loud rustling sound very like hissing . 



It is very active, and can dart a considerable distance— a foot 

 or more — to strike its prey : it is by far the most active and 

 aggressive poisonous snake I have seen." Again he says 



