INDIAN SERPENTS. 
15 
No. XIII. 
ANGUIS. 
Squama Abdominal es 244 
Squama Subcaudales 34 
Called by the natives, Kadell JVagam. 
The head very small, hardly thicker than the neck, oblong, cylindrical ; the fore 
part covered with laminae, the rest with small, orbicular, contiguous scales. The front 
lamina round, with a sharp point inserted between the first pair, which are perforated 
by the nostrils ; the next pair small, round ; the three laminae between the eyes nearly 
of a size, the middle one ovate, accuminated ; the semicordate pair narrow with a 
broad scale on each side at the point. 
The mouth small, the upper jaw longer than the under. There are no fangs. The 
teeth minute. The eyes globular, and very small. The nostrils vertical. 
The trunk. The neck enormously slender and long, covered above with small 
orbicular scales ; but underneath there is a series of about forty or fifty scales somewhat 
larger ; those which succeed are of the same size with the other scales. From the 
long neck, the body swells and lessens proportionably, but is more compressed as it 
approaches the tail, which is short, flat, and two edged. 
The length two feet nine inches of which three inches belong to the tail. 
The colour light blue, with cross yellow bands, more especially on the neck and 
the tail ; the belly of a lighter yellow, with faint blue bands. 
Received from Tranquebar. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
The bite of this serpent is reputed by the natives to be not less dangerous than that 
of the Cobra de Capello ; but the absence of poisonous organs sufficiently shows the 
notion to be a popular error. 
It is remarked by the Rev. Mr. John, to whom I am obliged for the present and 
the two preceding specimens, that he never found a land, a river, or a tank snake with 
a flat tail. Such as are sometimes found in rivers, have been brought in by the tide, 
and can live only a short while out of salt water. He remarks further, that it is very 
difficult to procure sea snakes ; for though often caught in the nets, they are held in 
such dread by the fishermen that hardly any inducement can procure their preser- 
vation : they are first bruised on the head with a billet, and then returned into the 
water. The Moolagoo Pam (T alia Pam, No XLIV. Corom. Serp.) he says, is often 
cast on shore by the surf, but rarely any other of the flat tailed snakes. 
