INDIAN SERPENTS. 
47 
No. XLI. 
ANGUIS.* 
Abdominal Squama . 
Sub-caudal Squama . 
Called by the natives Kalla Wahlagillee Pam. 
The head , oblong, round, bulging behind, sub-convex above, a little compressed laterally, 
and projecting into an obtuse rostrum. The occiput covered with small, orbicular, scales; 
the rest with laminae. The anterior pair, oblong-roundish, perforated by the nostrils; the 
next pair, smaller, roundish, pointed; the central lamina, between the eyes, rude shield- 
form, very much acuminate; the lateral, conical, obtuse; the posterior pair, oblong-oval: 
there are besides, several small laminae. 
The mouth very large, the jaws long, narrow, nearly of equal length, or the lower rather 
longest. The teeth small, numerous, sharp, reflex: a marginal, and two palatal rows, above. 
The eyes lateral, middle size, oval. The nostrils vertical, near each other. 
The trunk; the back highly carinated, the sides declining; the scales, orbicular, very 
minute, thick set, innumerable, not imbricate. Length two feet four inches; circumference, 
where thickest, nearly three inches; but the skin every where very loose. The tail thin, 
flat, rounded at the end; and measures three inches only. 
The colour of the head and back, black, with a pretty broad band, brimstone-colour, run¬ 
ning from the cheek to within two inches of the anus; the belly is of a dusky greenish-yel¬ 
low, with some obscure, round, black, spots, towards the tail, which is singularly spotted, 
white, black, and yellow. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This sea snake, according to the Vizagapatam fishermen, seldom approaches the shore: 
several of them had never seen one before. They pretended it was of a very dangerous 
kind, which is contradicted by the want of poisonous organs. 
It was found on the beach in January, 1 7 88 ; and a second, but much smaller, was brought 
to me in the May following. 
* The Anguis is distinguished from the Coluber, by the want of scuta; both belly and tail being covered with squarme, 
which, in the present subject, cannot be counted ; but in other subjects admit of being reckoned in series. 
