THE PBINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 33 



after the Cobra, the variety cceruleus causes most deaths among 

 human beings. It is found in jungles and rice-fields, and commonly 

 secretes itself in old trees and old walls. It frequently penetrates 

 into houses, verandahs, bathrooms, and even beds. Sir Joseph 

 Fayrer relates the story of a lady, who, when travelling in 

 a palanquin, found on arriving at her destination a " Krait " coiled 

 up in her luggage, the snake having thus made the journey with 

 her throughout a whole night. 



The Krait may easily be confused with Lycodon aulicus, 

 a harmless snake which closely resembles it, though it can at - 

 once be distinguished by examining its mouth. 



(b) Naja. 



(Pig. 25.) 



Head scarcely distinct from the neck ; eyes with round pupils ; 

 nostril between two nasal shields and an internasal. A pair of solid 

 grooved poison-fangs. Body elongate, cylindrical, terminated by 

 a conical and pointed tail. Scales smooth, disposed obliquely, in 

 15 — 25 rows. Ventral scales round. 



N. tripudians (Cobra-di-Gapello). (Fig. 26.) 



Head small, covered with large shields, a frontal as long as 

 broad, a supraocular, a praeocalar, 3 postoculars, 2 -I- 3 or 3 -I- 3 

 temporals, 7 upper labials, 4 lower labials. Neck dilatable by the 

 separation of the first cervical ribs ; 21—85 scales round the neck, 

 17—25 round the middle of the body : 163—205 ventrals ; 42—75 

 subcaudals. 



Total length, 1,500—1,900 millimetres ; tail 230. 



Coloration very variable, usually cinereous grey or almost black 

 with a bluish sheen ; belly hghter, sometimes tinted with red. The 

 head is frequently tinged with golden-yellow ; it is spotted with 

 yellowish-white above, and is pure white underneath. 

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