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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1885.
did not recognize the same animal as the crocodile of the Nile, which was of course known to them. At the same time it should be remembered that the ghariál (not gavial, as it is incorrectly called in English works on Zoology) occurs in the Indus, and would, no doubt, seem a strange animal even to people well acquainted with the crocodile of the Nile.
It attracted the attention of Babar, who gives a description of it, as well as of the sher abi (water tiger), which was apparently the common crocodile.
Sir A. Barnes (Cabool, p. 65.) mentions having eaten crocodile's flesh, and adds that "The gall bladder of the animal is carefully preserved by the natives and used as a medicine in cases of obstinate wounds and defluxions."
Another mention of Indian crocodiles is to be found in the Periplus, where it is said that, when approaching the Sinthus (ie. Indus) River, "the sign by which voyagers, before sighting land, know that it is near, is their meeting with serpents (sen snakes) floating on the water; but higher up, and on the coasts of Persia the first sign of land is seeing them of a different kind, called graai” (Sansk., graha, a crocodile)."
28. SERPENT (opis). Python molurus, Linn.-The Python. Pliny" tells us that, according to Megasthenês, "serpents in India grow to such a size that they swallow stags and bulls whole."
This is a somewhat exaggerated account of the capabilities of the Indian python, which is, however, sometimes thirty feet long, and three feet, or even more, in circumference. That it can kill and eat deer seems to be a wellattested fact, though how it would dispose of one with horns I cannot say. I know of one story recorded by an Englishman," where in Sambhalpûr the natives were in the habit of tethering goats near some rocks occupied by a monster snake, as an offering, which he very freely accepted and disposed of.
There is an account by Capt. E. A. Langley of an encounter between one of these snakes of the above dimensions and a sportsman,
f. Periplue of the Erythræan Sea, by J. W. M'Crindle, p. 107. . Hist. Nat., viii. 14, 1. 4 Motte in Asiatic Annual Register, London, 1766. " Narrative of a Residence at the Court of Meer Ali
Court of Meer Ali Moorad.
whose dog was first killed by the snake. After it had been shot, a dead deer was found, which it had been about to swallow when disturbed by the dog.
The stories of monster snakes killing and eating horned cattle seem more than doubtful.
29. ("opis Baláosis). Hydrophis, Sp. (?)-Sea-snakes. The sea-snakes of the Indian seas are thus referred to by Ælian : "The Indian sea breeds sea-snakes, which have broad tails, and the lakes breed hydras (crocodiles P) of immense size ; but these' sea-snakes appear to inflict a bite more sharp than poisonous."
The species of Hydrophis have broad tails, as described by Ælian; but he underrates the effects of their bite; for although, as Mr. Theobald" states, "their fangs are small, their venom is extremely potent."
They may be seen swimming in numbers near some parts of the coast of the peninsula of India and the islands of the Bay of Bengal. I have taken them in a net towed from the deck of a steamer; and on one occasion, on the island of Preparis, I came upon an eagle (Cun cuma lecoogaster) in the act of eating one, quite a pile of snake-bones being at the foot of what was evidently his favourite perch.
Alian's hydras I cannot identify, unless they be crocodiles; but theso he elsewhere describes, under the name skôléx. (See preceding page.
Although I am not yet prepared to identify the fish, crustaceans and mollusca, which are mentioned by our Greek authors, owing to the vagueness of the descriptions, I anticipate some success with them hereafter, but am compelled to reserve that part of the subject for the present, and therefore pass now to the insects.
INSECTS.
30. HONEY (M.). Apis dorsata (?)-Bees. Bhaunra, Hin. Photios tells us, on the authority of Ktêsias," that "there is a certain river flowing with honey out of a rock, like the one we have in our own country."
10 Hist. Anim., xvi. 2, 8. cf. Megasthends, by J. W. M'Crindle, p. 163. " Catalogue of Reptiles of British India, Appendis,
Ecloga in Photii, Bibl. lxxii. 13 (kal motapów prow ék mérpas péorra pêhe).
P. 2.
