Page:The poisonous snakes of India. For the use of the officials and others residing in the Indian Empire (IA poisonoussnakeso01ewar).pdf/23



Naja.—The following description is given of the genus by Gunther:—"Body and tail of moderate length; belly flat; head rather high and short, not very distinct from neck, which is very dilatable, the anterior ribs being elongate. The shields of the head normal, but the loreal is absent. Nostrils wide, lateral, between two shields; eye of moderate size, with round pupil. One præe-, three, sometimes two or four post-oculars. Six upper labials, the third and fourth entering the orbit; the third forms the lower half of the anterior margin of the orbit, Scales smooth, much imbricate, in numerous series round the hood. Anal entire. Sub-caudals two-rowed. The fang is grooved, with foramen at its cxtrenity; one or two small ordinary teeth at a short distance behind it."

The manners and customs, &c., distribution and varieties of the genus are admirably described by Sir Joseph Fayrer in the following quotation from the Thanatophidia:-" There are several varieties, each having a distinct name given to it by the natives. They are all most deadly, and though the snake-charmers consider some poisonous than others, it is probable that any difference that may exist is more due to the vigour of the individual snake than to anything attributable to the particular variety. They all have the hood, and never attack without distending it. They raise the anterior third of the body from the ground, slide slowly along on the posterior two-thirds, and with the hood dilated remain on the alert, darting the head forward to the attack when anything hostile approaches. This attitude is very striking, and few objects are more calculated to inspire awe than a large cobra, when with his hood erect, hissing loudly, and his eyes glaring, he prepares to strike. Nevertheless, they are not, I believe,