28 
DESCRIPTION OF 
The colour; the upper part of the head, flesh colour ; the rostrum cineritious : a broad 
streak of flesh colour runs obliquely on each side of the neck, and a narrow, short stripe of 
the same colour, divides a large brown mark on the occiput. The colour of the trunk and 
tail cineritious, variegated with about thirty large, broad, brown, maculae, edged with black, 
of various magnitude, and irregular forms. The sides are spotted with smaller, but similar, 
maculae, most of which are whitish in the middle. 
The scuta are remarkably small and narrow, of a white colour, with reddish margins: 
round the posterior edge of the anus, a semicircle of small scales is observable. The squamae 
also are small; and the under part of the tail is singularly variegated white and black, the 
black in long, broadish, streaks. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This snake possessed great strength in its body and tail, and often wreathed in such a man¬ 
ner round the arm of the man who held it by the neck, as to numb his hand. But though 
very active and lively, it was with difficulty made to bite lowls, and then no other conse¬ 
quence followed the bite than temporary pain. 
Upon forcing into the open mouth of the snake, the thigh (stripped of the feathers) of a 
living chicken, the snake, instead of wounding with his teeth, seemed more disposed to 
swallow the bird entire, and, if at liberty, would probably have done it, after securing his 
prey with his tail; for in the present case he exerted much force on the arm of the snake- 
man, which otherwise would have been employed in crushing the bird. 
It is a. common practice, with those who go about the country exhibiting snakes fora show, 
to present a large fowl to one of those called Rock Snakes, which the reptile deliberately se¬ 
cures by wreathing round the bird’s body, and then very slowly swallows the whole, fea¬ 
thers and all. 
No. XXIII. 
COLUBER. 
Abdominal Scuta 25 2 
Sub-caudal Squamce 6 4 
Called also by the natives Pedda Poda. 
The head a little broader than the neck, oblong, rounded at the extremity; above, de¬ 
pressed ; towards the rostrum sub-compressed, covered partly with numerous lamina?, dissi¬ 
milar in size, and of various forms, but the occiput is covered with smooth, ovate, scales. 
