4 
DESCRIPTION OF 
numerous, regular, reflex, very short, almost hid in the gum: in the upper jaw, the teeth 
in the two palatal rows, also small. There is properly no marginal row, but three small 
teeth are perceivable on each side, in an unusual situation behind the fangs, standing in an 
oblique line towards the palate: a singularity described more particularly in PL 45. F. xi. 
The fangs, in proportion to the size of the animal, remarkably short; two emergent from 
the sac. 
The eyes lateral, small, orbicular. The nostrils very large, gaping, close to the edge of 
the rostrum. 
The trunk trigonal, the ridge of the back sharp, the sides declining, the belly convex. 
The scales on the carina of the back, large, sub-hexagonal, ciliated ; the others ovate: all 
are smooth, polished, closely imbricate, and very adherent. 
The length , five feet five inches; the circumference where thickest, nearly five inches. 
The tail trigonal, thick, short, with a round blunt point; measures only five inches. 
The colour of the head a dark blue, with an oblique streak of yellow on each side, from 
the shield-form lamina to the throat, which is also yellow. The neck, trunk, and tail, are 
remarkably variegated by broad bands, alternately blue and yellow, which, including the 
scuta, invest the animal completely round; but the blue of the scuta is lighter: the tip of 
the tail blue. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This snake was sent from Mansoor Cottah, by Mr. Gordon, in November, 1 7 88 ; it had 
been bruised a little near the tail, and arrived in a languid, extenuated state. It came with 
the imputation of being of a very bad kind ; which character was afterwards confirmed by 
some of the hill people from Kimedy, to whom I showed the drawing, and who affirmed 
that the bite was inevitably mortal. 
According to them, its name in the Warrier language was Holadola, but in Gentoo, 
Ransa Pam. 
I have already mentioned that the snake was received in a very languid condition. 
Being set at liberty, it remained for some time without moving, but soon began to crawl 
slowly towards a dark corner. A chicken being presented to him at this time, he seemed 
to take no notice of it, though the bird fluttered about him, and even rested a toe on his 
head. The chicken was then put on the snake’s back, which he held so fast with his toes, 
that when attempted to be separated, the snake was dragged a little way, without once offer¬ 
ing to resent the insult. 
At the distance of an hour, the chicken was again presented; but the snake showing no 
disposition to bite, his jaws were forced asunder, and the naked thigh of the chicken so 
placed, that the jaws closed upon part of it. The chicken, when disengaged, showed imme¬ 
diate symptoms of poison: it couched, purged once or twice, and was not able to stand. 
In the course of the first ten minutes, after several ineffectual efforts to rise, it rested the 
beak on the ground, and the head was seized with trembling. After fifteen minutes, it 
