Page:The poisonous snakes of India. For the use of the officials and others residing in the Indian Empire (IA poisonoussnakeso01ewar).pdf/46

 22 DABOIA.

action, the poison seemed just as deadly. The blood usually remains Auid after death from the poison of the Daboia (the human subject perlaps being excepted); whereas after cobra poisoning it generally coagulates firmly on being removed from the heart and great vessels. The Daboia is nocturnal in its habits; in confinement it is sluggish, and does not readily strike, less roused and ivitated, when it bites with great force and determination. When disturbed it hisses fiercely, and when it strikes, does so with great vigour. Its long, morable fangs are very prominent objects, and with them it is capable of inflicting a very deep as well as poisoned wound. The markings on its body are very beautiful, and justify the synonym, V. cleyans. It lives on small animals, such as rats, mice, and frogs. My snake-upan says it will go into water. It is, however, terrestrial in its habits. (It climbs trees in Ceylon.-Tennant). Its loud hissing wlien disturbed is calculated to warn those who come within its dangerous proximity. Though so deadly, it does not appear by the returns to cause many deaths; but this may be owing to the fact that the natives seldom know, often do not see, the snake that las inflicted the fatal wound. It is much less known, and its misdeeds are therefore doubtless often ascribed to the cobra. In the official returns of dcaths froin snake bites, a large number are attributed to snakes unknown. If the real offender could be detected, it is probable that the Daboia would have a more prominent place than it occupies at present."-(Fayrer.) The adult varies in length from threc to four feet or so.