INDIAN SERPENTS. 
23 
No. XVII. 
COLUBER. 
Abdominal Scuta 1 4 4 
Sub-caudal Squamce 5 9 
Called by the natives Karoo Bokadam. 
The head, somewhat broader than the neck, yet appears small in proportion to the trunk; 
r 
a little convex above, compressed on the sides, and projecting into a short, obtuse, or sub¬ 
truncate, snout, on which the eyes and nostrils are situated. The snout is covered with 
small laminae of various forms; the rest of the head with small, sub-orbicular, carinated 
scales. 
The mouth not large, the jaws nearly of ecpial length. The teeth close set, regular, small, 
reflex; a marginal, and two palatal, rows, in the upper jaw. 
The eyes vertical, small, orbicular, protuberant, each situated in the centre of a remark¬ 
able circle of small, triangular, laminae. The nostrils very small, vertical, near to each other, 
and close to the apex of the rostrum. 
The trunk thick, round, covered with large, carinated, broad-oval, imbricate, scales. 
The length ,, three feet four inches and a half; thickness, near the head, about three 
inches; the middle of the trunk, four inches and a half. 
The tail measures only eight inches; is a little compressed, tapers moderately, and ter¬ 
minates in an obtuse point. 
Part of the head is almost black; the colour of the trunk and tail, a very dark grey; the 
throat, belly, and under part of the tail, are of a dusky-yellow; but the colour of the scuta 
seemed to have been changed by the spirits. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
tie was sent from Ganjam, by Mr. Snodgrass, in July, 17 88. I never saw one alive. 
Notwithstanding the suspicious appearance of this ugly snake, the want of poison organs, 
shows he is not formidable. 
