DESCRIPTION OF 
22 
No. XVI. 
COLUBER. 
Abdominal Scuta 17 4'] 
214. 
Sub-caudal Squama: 40 J 
Called by the natives Gajoo Tutta. 
The head broader than the neck, ovate, depressed, obtuse. The first pair oi laminae be¬ 
tween the nostrils, small, sub-orbicular; the next, pentagonal; the middlemost lamina of 
the three between the eyes, broad-lanceolate; the last pair, semi-cordate. 
The mouth small; the lower jaw shorter than the upper. The teeth below, numerous, 
close, reflex; two palatal rows above, close also and numerous, but the anterior in the mar¬ 
ginal row, longer than usual. 
The eyes lateral, small, orbicular. jYosfrils close to the rostrum, gaping. 
The trunk round. The scales, broad-ovate, imbricate. Length, fourteen inches. Circum¬ 
ference near the head, one inch and a quarter; the thickest part of the trunk, about two 
inches; and diminishes inconsiderably till near the tail. The tail , very small, tapers sud¬ 
denly, sharp pointed: length, two inches. 
The colour; the head a very dark, obscure, green, without spot. The trunk, (including 
the tail,) almost black, with a dark-greenish cast. The ridge of the back variegated with 
about twenty narrow spots, composed of longitudinal, short, dusky-yellow, white, and 
black, lines. Along the sides, and half down the tail, arc interrupted rows of short white 
lines; and from the head to the anus, on each side close to the scuta, there is a regular row 
of black dots. The scuta and squamae are of a bluish-white colour. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
The colour of this snake resembles that of the Gedi Paragoodoo (No. I.) ; but the varie¬ 
gating spots are very different. The long fore teeth in the upper jaw, on a transient view, 
might be mistaken for fangs, particularly if the subject has been kept some time in spirits. 
It is seldom found at Vizagapatam; and never having been brought to me alive, I had no 
oppoi tunity of trying its bite: but, from the want of poisoning organs, it may be inferred 
that it is not so formidable as, by the natives, represented. 
