WATERS OF WESTERN INDIA. 175 



Lave retained its colours to maturity. Another is the new Hydrophis 

 phipsoni, striped black, white, or grey. 



The Pelamis is the only Sea-snake that justifies the Ancient Mariner's 

 description. The rest are loathsome reptiles. In many hundred 

 specimens I have not witnessed the ferocity ascribed to them by 

 Dr. Gunther. In one case only I saw one bite itself, apparently 

 with no ill effects, though the species (a Hydrophis) was certainly 

 venomous. They are held in great contempt by the fishermen, 

 though these well know their poisonous qualities. On one occasion, 

 being in the water with halt'-a-dozen naked men, I saw a Hydrophis, 

 4 feet long, swim towards us, and called to a man who had a bamboo 

 to kill it for fear of accident. He did not hear me ; but a naked 

 man, who did, picked up the reptile in the most unconcerned way, 

 and chucked it on to the sand, where it lay helpless. 



Pelamis is much more active both afloat and ashore, and gets 

 more respect accordingly. 



My fishermen call all Sea-snakes " Kilis " in Maratha. 



For the Great Sea-serpent, we know nothing of him here, except 

 that he cannot be of any type of Sea-snake known to us. For, if he 

 were Platuroicl with ventral shields, he would surely come ashore to 

 exercise them ; and if he were a true clumsy Hydrophis without 

 ventral shields, he would as certainly get cast ashore sometimes, as 

 that tribe and the whales do. Or at least an odd bone would drift to 

 us, as my bone of the "whaled" whale did from unknown, but 

 certainly very distant, regions, with the cuts of the blubber-spades 

 on it. The bones of Sea-snakes float easily. 



Our Sea-serpents do not often reach 6 feet long, but we read of 

 their attaining 10 feet. 



It does not follow of course that there cannot be a Great Sea- 

 serpent of a totally different type, possibly far more saurian or more 



fish-like. 



KESWAL. 



BIRD-NESTING ON THE GHATS. 

 By Mr. J. Davidson, C.S. 



I had paid a short visit to the Kondabhari Ghat in August 1885, 

 and the beauty of the place at that season, and the number of birds 

 evidently breeding there, made me determine to go there this year at 

 an earlier period, when I would find fewer young birds and more eggs. 



