INDIAN SERPENTS. 
No. I, 
BOA. 
Abdominal Scuta 209 "1 
[ 256 . 
Sub-caudal Scuta 47 J 
Called by the natives Ge.di Paragoodoo, and Pallia Poola. 
The head , a very little broader than the neck, small, ovate, roundish, depressed above; 
the rostrum compressed, obtuse. The principal laminae, or plates, covering the head, are 
ten in number, besides some smaller behind. The lamina, in front of the rostrum, triangular ; 
the anterior pair (between the nostrils,) roundish; the next pair nearly of the same form, 
but larger; of the three between the eyes, the central, broad shield-form; the lateral, oblong- 
lunulate; the large posterior pair, semi-cordate, bordered by four small laminae: the scales 
on the occiput, small, orbicular. 
The mouth middle size; the lower jaw shorter than the upper. The teeth in the lower 
jaw fewer than in the upper, small, sharp, reflex; in the upper, two interior, or palatal 
rows, regular, numerous, equal, but (as constantly observed in venomous serpents,) no 
exterior, or marginal row." The fangs, or poisoning teeth, remarkably slender and short, 
one on each side emergent from the sac: there sometimes are two ; but always small, in pro¬ 
portion to the size of the animal. 
The eyes lateral, small, orbicular. The nostrils close to the point of the rostrum, large, 
open. 
The trunk , round, nearly of equal thickness from the neck to within four or five inches 
of the tail; circumference, where thickest, about two inches and a half. Scales ovate, close, 
imbricate; but on the middle of the back and the tail, they are orbicular, and larger. 
The length , from the point of the rostrum to the end of the tail, two feet five inches.t The 
tail, tapering gradually, ends in a sharp point, and measures only four inches. 
* It should be recollected that serpents not venomous, have three rows of common teeth, or holders, in the upper jaw; one 
exterior, or marginal, and two interior, situated, seemingly, in the palate: but in venomous serpents, this marginal row is 
wanting. Wherever, therefore, a marginal row of teeth is found in the upper jaw, it is in vain to search for fangs; on the 
other hand, where the two interior rows can only be discovered, it is a strong presumption of the existence of poisoning organs, 
although fangs are absent, (which may happen by accident,} or cannot easily be detected without dissection. 
+ In order to avoid repetition, it may be proper to observe here, that in speaking of the length of the animal, the tail is 
always included ; though in general, the length of the tail is mentioned separately afterwards. 
