INDIAN SERPENTS. 
33 
one half of the squamae nearest them are of a straw colour; and a small, darkish-green, 
thread, runs along each side of the scuta and sub-caudal squamae, to near the end of the tail. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This was sent from Ganjam, in October, 1 7 88, by Mr. Snodgrass; who remarked in his 
letter, “ that among the natives it bore a bad character.” It certainly, however, possesses 
no poisoning organs. 
No. XXVIII. 
COLUBER. 
Abdominal Scuta 138 
, Sub-caudal Squama 
Called by the natives Maugealled Keaka. 
The head broader than the neck, ovate, depressed, covered with eleven laminae, besides 
several small, smooth, scales. The first lamina, emarginate ; the pair between the nostrils 
small, square-form; the next pair roundish, and angular; the lateral of the three between 
the eyes, long-oval, the middle one, long, shield-form; the two posterior, (the largest of all) 
sub-semi-cordate. 
The mouth small; the lower jaw shorter than the upper. Teeth small, sharp, reflex; a 
marginal, and two palatal rows, above. 
The eyes small, orbicular: the nostrils close to the rostrum, small, linear. 
The trunk roqiad, nearly of equal thickness to within four inches of the anus, covered with 
close, ovate, carinated, scales. Length , from the nose to the anus, fourteen inches; the cir¬ 
cumference, about two inches three fourths. 
The tail taper; but it had been cut off two or three inches from the anus; and the trunk 
was broken and bruised in several places, which rendered it difficult to judge exactly of its 
colour; it seemed to have a leaden or bluish cast, with many small, sagittate, spots, com¬ 
posed of greyish, dusky-yellow, and blackish, scales. The scuta were of a yellowish-white. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This snake, in bad preservation, was received from Ganjam in March, 1 7 88. By the 
account of the natives, transmitted at the same time, it was represented as venomous; but 
its want of poisoning organs, shows the assertion to be a vulgar error. 
