(3) Var. _Fasciata_.--Colour, brown, olive, or black, with more or less distinct light transverse bands. White spot edged with black in the shape of a ring or of a U on the neck, behind; a black spot on each side in front. _Habitat_: India, Indo-China and South China, Hainan, Cambodia, Siam, Malay Peninsula. (4) Var. _Sputatrix_.--Black or dark brown, with yellow or orange-coloured spots on the sides of the head and neck. The young have a pale spot in the shape of a U or an O on the middle of the dorsal surface of the neck, and the throat is whitish. _Habitat_: Chusan Islands and South China, Burma, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java. (5) Var. _Leucodira_.--Brown or black, without mark on the neck. Throat yellowish-white, followed by a black transverse band. _Habitat_: Sumatra, Malay Peninsula. (6) Var. _Miolepis_.--Brown or black; sides of the head and throat yellowish, no mark on the neck. Young with white rings completely encircling the body and tail. _Habitat_: Sarawak, Labuan, Borneo. [Illustration: FIG. 27.--_Naja tripudians_ (_Cobra-di-Capello_). (After Sir Joseph Fayrer.)] _Naja samarensis._ Internasal shields shorter than the præfrontals, and in contact with the præoculars; 1-3 large occipital shields behind the parietals; 1 præocular and 3 postoculars; 2 + 2 or 2 + 3 temporals; 7 supralabials, 4 infralabials; 21-23 scales across the neck, 17-19 across the middle of the body; 159-175 ventrals; 45-50 subcaudals. Coloration black or sometimes yellowish above; pale brown or yellowish on the belly; neck black. Total length, 1,000 millimetres; tail 160. _Habitat_: Philippine Islands. _Naja bungarus_ (_Ophiophagus_ or _Hamadryas elaps_). (King Cobra or Hamadryad.) A pair of large occipital shields; 1 præocular; 3 postoculars; 2 + 2 temporals; 7 supralabials, 4 infralabials; 19-21 scales across the neck, 15 across the middle of the body; 215-262 ventral scales, 80-117 subcaudals. Neck dilatable. Coloration very variable, yellowish, brown, olive, or black, with or without dark transverse bands. Total length, 3,900 millimetres; tail 630. _Habitat_: India, Burma, Indo-China, Siam, Southern China, Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. * * * * * The species of _Naja_ are oviparous, and usually lay some twenty eggs, elliptical in shape and as large as those of a pigeon, with a soft shell. These snakes do not fear the proximity of man, and feed upon rats, mice, and birds; they seek their prey chiefly in the evening, after sunset. They swim extremely well, and frequent the neighbourhood of water-courses. Indian legends relate that Brahma, having descended on earth and fallen asleep one day at high noon, a _Naja_ placed itself in front of him and, dilating its broad neck, procured for him kindly shade. In order to repay it for the service rendered, Brahma gave _Naja_ the marks that it bears on its neck, intended to frighten the kites and other birds of prey, which are implacable enemies of this snake.