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The terms viriyan, mandali, dnali, are used indistinctly 

 in Tamil and the kindred languages for any snake supposed 

 to be venomous ; the etymology of the first term is obscure, 

 the others signify either a ringed or decorated pattern. 



Water-snakes receive the prefix nlr or jla to the above 

 names ; a tree-snake may perhaps be distinguished as marum 

 pambu. Burmans are often very intelligent in ophiology ; the 

 cobra, the hamadryad, the dhaman, the chain-viper, the 

 black-striped red dhaman Govrvpsosoma, have all names in 

 the Burmese and Karen languages, and the people are well 

 acquainted with their habits. 



Some snakes allow themselves to be caught without the 

 slightest attempt at resistance. The gentle Tropidonotus 

 stolatus, subminiatios, and plumbicolor allow themselves to 

 be taken up, and in dry weather the offer of a drink of 

 water will at once gain their hearts. But most snakes are 

 strongly opposed to being captured, and some show their 

 independence by snapping viciously. Tropidonotus quin- 

 cunciatus and Ptyas both fight for their freedom even at 

 the earliest age, and, though they resign themselves philoso- 

 phically to a domestic life, are always a little uncertain to 

 handle ; their bite is, however, quite harmless, and not very 

 painful. 



The collector need provide himself with no implements 

 beyond a bag and his walking-stick, which, if placed on the 

 neck of any snake, will permit of its being grasped without 

 trouble. If the specimen has to be carried any distance and 

 is too large to be stowed into a pocket, no bag being at 

 hand, a piece of string to bind him to the stick will be 

 found useful, as holding a large snake by the tail is incon- 

 venient, and holding him by the neck becomes irksome, 

 especially in the case of a venomous kind. It must be 

 remembered that the great mobility of the maxillaries will 

 often enable a snake to turn round on your fingers when 



