THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
302 
nearly of the same thickness. Its colour is a reddish black. 
The bite proves almost instantly fatal, and has never been 
known to be recovered from. By the goodness of Provi- 
dence, however, this species is not numerous, and is almost 
entirely confined to some parts of the interior. Indeed, so 
rarely is it met with, that I have never conversed with one 
who had actually examined, or even certainly seen it. The 
account I have given is taken from the most common reports 
on the subject. 
The whip-snake and grass-snake are botli poisonous. They 
are of a greenish colour and speckled. 
The water-snake, the wood-snake, and a few other species 
usually found among old ruins, are perfectly harmless. They 
are distinguished from the poisonous kinds, by not raising 
themselves up to prepare for attack, but keeping their head 
close to the ground and hissing all the while. 
The rock-snake is an immense animal, extending to thirty 
feet in length. I have myself seen one twenty-two feet 
long, and about the thickness of a mans thigh : and I was 
told that much larger ones were to be found in the island. 
I had a transient glimpse of another as he glided past me 
through the bushes in the neighbourhood of Col umbo ; in 
size he seemed to exceed the one I had formerly seen. The 
rock-snake inhabits chiefly the rocky banks of rivers. His 
colour is greyish with broad white streaks. The animals, 
though formidable from their immense size, are perfectly free 
from poison. They are, however, destructive to some of the 
