Page:Provincial geographies of India (Volume 4).djvu/111

] tern frequent the coasts. The little grebe or dab-chick may close the list.

Snakes. Snakes of many kinds are unpleasantly and dangerously abundant. Of deadly snakes, the largest and most formidable is the hamadryad (Naia bungarus), one of the few savage creatures which sometimes attack and pursue without provocation. There are authentic records of men having been chased by this monster which attains the length of thirteen feet. But ordinarily even the hamadryad does not attack unless provoked or alarmed. The cobra (N. tripudians), the lurking krait (Bungarus coeruleus), and Russell's viper (Vipera Russellii) are also snakes whose poison is almost invariably fatal. B. coeruleus is, however, very rare. Its place is taken by B. fasciatus, the banded or Burmese krait, fairly common but so inoffensive that Burmans believe it not to be poisonous. It is sometimes called the pôngyi snake from its bright canary, alternating with prune purple, bands, a very distinctive marking. The snake which does most damage and is by far the most numerous and most troublesome is Russell's viper, mwe-bwe. So dangerous and plentiful is he in dry districts such as Magwe and Sagaing that, when reaping the fields or walking after dark, the country folk wear special boots, with palmwood soles and matting or reed uppers, to protect themselves against his attack. They know about the height the snake can strike. Most deadly of all are sea-snakes (Hydrophidae) of which several varieties haunt coasts and estuaries. Enormous pythons growing as long as twenty feet are often seen. There are also many kinds of snakes which are quite harmless.

Lizards. Lizards, great and small, of many varieties are found everywhere; in forests and in human habitations. Most interesting is Gecko verticillatus, the large tak-tu, so called from its strange cry, a popular and almost domesticated reptile. Though of somewhat formidable appearance,