4 THE LAND-MARKS OF 



I found little more difficulty in manipulating a 

 large fresh specimen, than in handling a fresh 

 Keuntiah Cobra. Indeed, the latter, from its 

 extreme activity and restlessness when fiirst cap- 

 tured, is in my opinion, a more dangerous creature 

 to manipulate. The Ophiophagus feeds, as its 

 name implies, on other snakes, hut it is doubtful 

 whether they constitute its ordinary food ; it, no 

 doubt, accommodates its taste to the supply, and 

 Krait. takcs anything that falls in its way. The Krait — 

 Bungarus Coeruleus — as generally seen, is about 

 three feet, long, but it grows to the length of 

 four feet. It is either steel-blue black or brown, 

 striped white. I believe the colour depends 

 upon the age of the snake, the darker one being 

 older, as I have never yet seen a very large brown 

 creature. It is easily recognized by the colour, 

 and the single row of hexagonal scales running 

 along the centre of its back. Very serious con- 

 sequences have sometimes resulted from the 

 Lycodon, innocent snake Lycodon Aulicus having been 

 mistaken for it, though there is really little 

 resemblance between the two. The row of hexa- 

 gonal scales is of course, wanting, and it is 

 lighter in colour. The fangs of the Krait are 

 much smaller than those of the Cobra. The 



