105 



N. TRiPUDiANS,* Merrem. The Cobra. 



Scales 21-23 on the four-tenths of the body below the 

 first tenth or expansive portion, but as many as 33 on the 

 broadest portion of the cervical disk. The preocular and 

 the anterior frontal are somewhat fan-shaped, the posterior 

 angle of the latter resting on the broad part of the former. 

 There are two distinct varieties of this snake, if not two 

 species. 



Variety a. The Binocellate Cobra. The Spectacled Cobra. 

 Ookurra of Bengal. Plate XVII. 



Scales 23. They are 31-33 at the ocelli, 25 at the black 

 posterior edge of the hood. Ventrals 184-197, subc. 53-69. 

 The neck is marked between the 10th and 17th transverse 

 series of scales with a white, black-edged cj or -s enclosing 

 at either extremity a black ocellus. This pattern is entirely 

 on the steel-brown skin, and is only seen when the cervical 

 disk is expanded ; then the scales are distant from one 

 another like grains of linseed symmetrically arranged in 

 rows ; at other times the scales are imbricate and conceal 

 the pattern. The general colour varies from light olive, or 

 even buff, to dark brown ; this colour is entirely on the 

 scales, the interstitial skin being white, occasionally with 

 dark cross-bands. A common variety has numerous narrow 

 light cross-bars, generally in pairs. Under-parts ash or 

 dark mottled ; anteriorly a lateral black spot coiTesponding 

 to the position of the ocellus on the neck ; two or three 

 series of ventrals between the 15th and 30th are very dark, 

 nearly black. The colours are variable in shade, but they 

 merely mark 'caste' as the Indians say, and a dozen 

 different castes can be made out of a large ' bag' of cobras 



* Tripudiate, v. i. to dance on the toe (Hyde Clarke's English 

 Dictionary.) Ex. "tiipndiafitmsitTOiis"— C Saturday Eeview.) French 

 zoologists, who translate literally the Latin names of animals, call 

 this snake N'aje haladine. 



14 



