Page:The poisonous snakes of India. For the use of the officials and others residing in the Indian Empire (IA poisonoussnakeso01ewar).pdf/7



object contemplated in publishing this small work (which may be viewed as a supplement to Sir Joseph Fayrer's magnificent "Thanatophidia of India") has been to place in the hands of the busy officials of India a handy-book, by means of which they may easily recognise any of the poisonous reptiles of the Peninsula. Sir Joseph Fayrer, K.C.S.I., when applied to, generously sanctioned the use of the beautiful plates figured in his Thanatophidia.

The scientific descriptions of Gunther, Fayrer, and Anderson have been preserved; but as all technical and other difficult terms have been fully explained in the Glossary, the text may be regarded as capable of being made intelligible to the mind of the ordinary reader. Any further attempt at popularising the work would have ended in redundancy, and rendered brevity and portability impossible. There is scarcely a term employed in the descriptions, which cannot at once be understood by a reference to the Glossary. The conciseness thus accomplished has enabled me generally to place the descriptions side by side with the Plates. This is a great advantage to men so fully employed as are the civil, medical, and police authorities of India.

It is believed that this work will meet a real want. It will enable the hard-worked civil surgeon to identify, without much trouble, poisonous snakes, a matter of great import to him in the practice of his profession, and in his capacity as-it may be the sole medical jurisprude in his district. It will also enable the English speaking and reading officials of all grades and departments to distinguish poisonous from non-poisonous snakes. It is further hoped that it will obviate the necessity of paying rewards for the capture and destruction