324 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVIII. 



dorsally, but, if closely viewed, a sparse punctiform mottling may be 

 Been in the middle of each scale. The belly is uniform black. 



I encountered one in broad daylight crossing a jungle road. It 

 made no attempt to escape, but lay extended, and when captured 

 and handled, evinced no seeming uneasiness, offering no resistance. 

 It was a very quiet attractive little creature. 



Lycodon fasciatus. 



Thirteen specimens, 6 $, 7 $ . The longest was a $ , 3 feet and f 

 inch, but a $ nearly equalled it measuring 3 feet and \ inch. The 

 smallest specimen was 8g inches in length. 



The scales in this species are 17 anteriorly, 17 in midbody and 15 

 posteriorly, and the reduction is effected by an absorption of the 4th 

 row above the ventrals into that above or below. Ventrals, $ 201 

 to 208, 9 206 to 213. Subcaudals, $ 11 to 79, 9 74 to 80. 



Food,. — Two examples had recently fed. In one instance a skink 

 Lygosoma indka had been taken and in the other probably the same 

 species. 



Breeding.— The smallest specimen, 8^ inches long, was, I believe, a 

 hatchling, and was found in a nursery on the 19th of September in 

 the same house from which I had obtained an adult 9 , 2 feet and \ 

 an inch long, on the 16th of August. If my surmise is correct, here 

 again, the breeding season is notably late, if comparison is made with 

 Lycodon aidicus in the plains. 



The anal glands secreted a copious custard-like material, which was 

 found as abundant in the hatchling as in adults. 



I found the slough of a snake, undoubtedly of this species, adhering 

 to the irregularities in the bark of a pine tree of considerable girth, 

 (about 18 inches diameter). It was situated at least five feet from the 

 ground, with no intervening branches. The position served to 

 indicate that this species is as deft a climber as others of the genus 

 Lycodon — a conclusion that, I think, might have been inferred from 

 the angulate character of the ventral shields. 



The iris is heavily flecked with grey, a colour I have never seen 

 in any other snake as far as I can rememb er, and the fact that it is 

 visible at all seems to me sufficient justification for doubting whether 

 this species is properly included among the genus Lycodon 

 (where the iris is invisible and the whole eye like a jet bead). 



