File:Sketches of the natural history of Ceylon - with narratives and anecdotes illustrative of the habits and instincts of the mammalia, birds, reptiles, fishes, insects, &c. - including a monograph of the (14749395142).jpg

Identifier: sketchesofnatura00tenn (find matches)
Title: Sketches of the natural history of Ceylon : with narratives and anecdotes illustrative of the habits and instincts of the mammalia, birds, reptiles, fishes, insects, &c. : including a monograph of the elephant and a description of the modes of capturing and training it with engravings from original drawings
Year: 1868 (1860s)
Authors: Tennent, James Emerson, Sir, 1804-1869 Metcalf Collection (North Carolina State University). NCRS
Subjects: Zoology Elephants
Publisher: London : Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts
Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

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d from the hooded-snake; whereas it professesto be extracted from the kabara-goya. Such is thebad renown of this formidable poison, that an indi-vidual suspected of having it in his possession, iscautiously shunned by his neighbours. Those especi-ally who are on doubtful terms with him, suspect theirown servants lest they should be suborned to mixkabara-tel in the curry. So subtle is the virus sup- Hydrosaurus salvator, Laur. In the Mahawanso the hero, Tail compressed ; fingers long ; Tissa, is said to have been nostrils near the extremity of the afflicted with a cutaneous com- snout. A black band on each plaint which made his skin scaly temple; round yellow spots dis- like that of the godho.—Ch. xxiv. posed in transverse series on the p. 148. Godho is the Pali back. Teeth with the crowTi com- name for the Kabara-goya.pressed and notched. Chap. IX.) THE KABARA-TEL. 273 posed to be, that one method of adimnistering it, is tointroduce it within the midrib of a leaf of betel, and close
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THE KABAEA-GOYA. the orifice with chiinam ; and, as it is an habitual act ofcourtesy for one Singhalese on meeting another to offer T 274 REPTILES. (Chap. IX. the compliment of a betel-leaf, which it would be rude-ness to refuse, facilities are thus afforded for present-ing the concealed drug. It is curious that to thislatent suspicion has been traced the origin of a customuniversal amongst the natives, of nipping off with thethumb nail the thick end of the stem before chewingthe betel. In the preparation of this mysterious compound, theunfortunate Kabara-goya is forced to take a painfullyprominent part. The receipt, as written down by aKandyan, was sent to me from Kornegalle, by Mr.Morris, the civil officer of that district; and indramatic arrangement it far outdoes the cauldron ofMacheths witches. The ingredients are extracted fromvenomous snakes, the cobra de capello, the Carawilla,and the Tic-polonga, by making incisions in the headof these reptiles and suspending them over a chat

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