312 
EEPTILES. 
[Chap. IX. 
which the drawing is taken, was obtained by Dr. Tem- 
pleton at Colombo. 
The use of the Pamboo-Kaloo, or snake-stone, as a 
remedy in cases of wounds by venomous serpents, has 
probably been communicated to the Singhalese by the 
itinerant snake-charmers who resort to the island from 
the coast of Coromandel; and more than one well- 
authenticated instance of its successful application has 
been told to me by persons who had been eye-wit- 
nesses to what they described. On one occasion, in 
March, 1854, a friend of mine was riding, with some 
other civil officers of the Government, along a jungle 
path in the vicinity of Bintenne, when he saw one of 
two Tamils, who were approaching the party, suddenly 
dart into the forest and return, holding in both hands 
a cobra de capello which he had seized by the head and 
tail. He called to his companion for assistance to place 
it in their covered basket, but, in doing this, he handled 
it so inexpertly that it seized him by the finger, and re- 
tained its hold for a few seconds, as if unable to retract 
its fangs. The blood flowed, and intense pain appeared 
to follow almost immediately ; but, with all expedition, 
the friend of the sufferer undid his waistcloth, and took 
from it two snake-stones, each of the size of a small 
almond, intensely black and highly polished, though 
of an extremely light substance. These he applied, 
one to each wound inflicted by the teeth of the serpent, 
to which they attached themselves closely ; the blood 
that oozed from the bites being rapidly imbibed by the 
porous texture of the article applied. The stones ad- 
in two pairs ; eyes very small, over second upper labial shield elon- 
the fourth and fifth labials ; one gated, 
ante- and two post-oculars ; the 
