INDIAN SERPENTS. 
27 
head and neck. The back variegated by black and white, or black and yellowish, narrow, 
bands; and on the sides are two or three rows of short, separate, oblicpie, lines, formed by the 
yellow, or white, edges of the lateral scales; but in general these bands and lines are not vi¬ 
sible on the tail. The scuta and squamae are of a dusky pearl-colour. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
The bite of this snake, according to the natives, is not mortal; but they pretend that, af¬ 
ter a certain time, it produces ill effects. I made trial repeatedly on chickens, without ob¬ 
serving any bad consequences; and the absence of poisoning organs, renders the popular 
notion of its ill qualities highly improbable. 
No. XXII. 
COLUBER. 
Abdominal Scuta 2 5 2 ") 
1314 . 
Sub-caudal Squarrue 62 J 
Called by the natives Pedcla Poda. 
The head broader than the neck, oblong-ovate, obtuse, depressed, but from the eyes to the 
rostrum compressed, covered with twelve principal laminae, besides a number of smaller, ir¬ 
regular in shape, and disposed star fashion round the posterior, small, rude, semi-cordate, la¬ 
minae. The central lamina between the eyes is the largest; but, contrary to what is observed 
in most other snakes, it is divided in the middle: the occiput is covered with very small, or¬ 
bicular, smooth, scales. 
The mouth wide, the jaws of equal length, the lips thickish, covered with oblong, trans¬ 
verse scales. The teeth regular, reflex, sharp; a marginal, and two palatal rows, in the upper 
jaw. 
The eyes lateral, orbicular, not large. The nostrils , near the edge of the rostrum, round, 
open in a backward direction. 
The trunk round, gradually swelling from the neck, and decreasing towards the tail; 
closely set, with minute, smooth, round, imbricate, scales ; but three rows next to the scuta 
consist oflarger scales, oval, acuminate. 
The length two feet nine inches; the circumference of the neck two inches; the middle of 
the trunk four. 
The tail round, and tapering rapidly, ends in a sharp point: it measures only four 
inches two lines. 
