LINEATED BOA. 357 



three inches and a half long, and tapers to a slen- 

 der point. 



This snake is not uncommon at Vizagapatam, as 

 well as at Boni, Sec. and some young ones ^yexe 

 sent to Dr. Russel from Alasulapatain, under the 

 name Cobra JloniL The natives of India, who 

 generally exaggerate the noxious character of 

 their serpents, assert that the hite of this animal 

 produces immediate death. The experiments of 

 Dr. Russel, however, prove that it is seldom fatal 

 to chickens in less than half an hour, and to dogs 

 in less than an hoar and ten minutes. Its poison 

 was also observed to cause less violent convulsions 

 in the animals infected by it than that of the Co- 

 bra cle C<ipello and another highly poisonous In- 

 dian snake called Kataka Rekula Poda ; but pro- 

 duced a greater degree of stupor. 



On the first of August, 1788, a snake of this 

 species was received by Dr. R. from Birnripatamy 

 after a journey of seven liours, in so languid a 

 state that it was with much difficulty matle to bite 

 a chicken on the breast : a little speck of blood 

 Avas visible on the skin of the chicken, but with- 

 out any mark of the fangs having acted ; not- 

 withstanding which, in about twenty-five minutes 

 the bird began to droop, and in a few minutes 

 more, growing rapidly worse, expired, without 

 any considerable convulsion, in about forty mi- 

 nutes from the bite. 



At the distance of five days, the same snake was 

 found in high vigour and beauty, having in that 

 interval cast its skin; and a chicken bitten on 



