Snakes are said to avoid the fennel plant, as well as all places where the fennel seed (Nigella sativa) is strewed.
In some parts of the country are serpents of great length, up to 26 feet long. They feed on all the smaller animals, but they can exist an indefinite time without food.
Snakes cast their skins periodically, and the Chinese and Hindu physicians use the skins medicinally.
Most serpents or snakes can move by springs or leaps, often of considerable extent. The • Editor has seen a large snake cross the higb-road in the flats at Bombay by two leaps.
Nearly all with a hood are poisonous ; the Com pososoma radiatum and Tropidonotus macro phthalmus are exceptions.
Naja tripudians, cobra, cobra di capello, occurs in 'several varieties, to each of which the natives give a name. They are all poisonous. The Gokurrah bas spectacles on the hood. Those with one ocellus or other mark on the hood, are called Keautiah.
Ophiophaguselaps is the Hamadryad of Gunther, Sunkerchor of Bengal, a,nd Ai Raj of Orissa. One variety, olive-green above, is found in Bengal, Assam, Malay Peninsula, and S. India. The brownish-olive is found in Bengal, the Philip pines, and perhaps in Burma ; and the black variety is a. Borneo reptile. The genus is widely distributed in Cuttack, Bengal, Sunderbuns, Rangoon, in. the Andamans, Philippines, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, N. Guinea. It is the most aggressive of all the Indian poisonous snakes. It lives upon snakes.
Bungarus fasciatus is the Sankni or Raj Samp of Bengal, the Bangaraw pamu of S. India, and the Koklia Krait of tho N.W. Provinces. It is from 4 to A feet long. It occurs in Hindustan, S. India, and Burma. Its bite is very dangerous ;1 dogs die in 4 to 28 hours.
Bungarns cteruleus.
Dhoinun chili, . lizso. I Krait, . . . . Iinsn.
Gedi Paragoodoo, TEL, of Russell. It occurs. 'throughout India, N.W. Provinces Rajputana, Gujerat, Dekhan, Madraa. It has three varieties, one of them, 11. lividus, Cantor, is blackish-brown above ; another variety has a series of vertebral white spots ; and a third, the 13. arcnatus, Duni. and Bib., has narrow white streaks in pairs on
its upper parts. It is from 2 to 4i feet. The Lycodon aulicus, an innocent intake, and it, are frequently mistaken. All the species of Bungarus and Hamadrytts are fierce snakes.
Callophis M'Ciellandia has two varieties frotn Nepal and Darjiling, and a third variety from Assam.
Daboia RIL9S011i.
D. elegans ; Russell's viper ; Chain viper. Jess= ..... BENG. Tio-polOnga . of CEYLON. Siah-chunder, . „ Katuka, Rekula, . TAM.
I Amaiter, . . . „ Poda, . . . . . „ It is to be found in most parts of India, in the plains and hills, also in Kuhl up to 5000 feet, and in Kashmir 2000 to 6000 feet. It is of a greyish-brown colour, 3i feet long ; it is less deadly than the cobra. Its size and nocturnal habits render it more dangerous than the Tritnere surea and Hypnales.
Echis carinata.
Afae, . . . . HIND. I Horatta pamu, . . TAM. Kuppur, . . . SIND. I Occurs in most parts of India. It is brown or brownish-,grey, 22 inches long ; it is very active is fiercely aggreksive, is always ready to attack', and throws itself into a double coil, the folds of which as they rub against each other make a rustling sound. It can dart a foot or more t,o strike its prey.
Trimeresurus carinatus, one of the Crotalidm or pit vipers, found in Bengal, Sikkim, and Burma ; 36 inches long, and grass-green above.
Trimeresurns Animallensis, 27 inches long, yellowish-green in colour, occurs in the Animallay Hills in S. India.
Trimeresurus erythrurus occurs in the Nico bars, Moulmein, Penang, and Java. It is 33 inches long, and of a grass-green colour.
Trimeresurus monticola occurs in the Sub Himalaya, Darjiling, Nepal, Sikkim, Klias.sya, Ncilgherries, and Animallay. It is 33 inches long, of various shades of dark-brown.
Mr. Theobald describes two others, viz. Trill-Jere surus Andersonii, Theobald, found in Armin and . Trinieresitrus obscurus, Theobahl, of a un;forin black colour, also of Assani.
Trimeresurus strigatus, of a brown colour, is 14i to 19 inches long, is found in the Dekhan, the Animallays, and Neilgherriea.