312 



NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF SNAKES FROM THE 

 KHASI HILLS, ASSAM. 



BY 



Major F. Wall, i.m.s., c.m.z.s. 



During August, September, and October this year in Shillong 

 I acquired, among other natural history objects, a large and fairly 

 representative collection of snakes, amounting to 264 specimens, re- 

 presenting 29 species, of which one, a Typhlops, is new to science. 

 This I propose to name tephrosoma. The locality is a peculiarly 

 attractive one to the collector, as much from the interest attaching to 

 it from geographical considerations as for the abundance of the 

 species available, many of which seem to be peculiar to this and the 

 neighbouring hills. 



Shillong is situated in the Khasi Hills of Assam at an altitude of 

 4,900 feet. From 4,500 to 5,500 feet probably indicates the outside 

 limits from which all the specimens were derived with one exception, 

 viz., Dipsadomorphus cyaneus, which I got at Nongpho (1.800 feet). 



Referring; to Boulenger's Catalogue of the Snakes in the British 

 Museum (1893 to 1896), Sclater's List of Snakes in the Indian 

 Museum (1891), and my own notes which include two new species, the 

 descriptions of which appear in this issue, there are at least 79 species 

 known to inhabit Assam. Some of these appear to be restricted to 

 the Hills, but it would be difficult to define the limits of elevation 

 within which they occur. Similarly, it is impossible to fix any limit 

 to the elevation to which the species commonly met with in the 

 plains may wander. 



The mortality from snakebite appears to be insignificant. The 

 Khasis that I interrogated assured me that though snakebite casualties 

 were not uncommon, fatalities were rare. This received confirmation 

 in two quarters. The Cantonment Magistrate in answer to my en- 

 quiries informed me that since 1899 (prior to which no records are 

 available) no death within Cantonments had been returned as due to 

 snakebite. Again, at the Civil Hospital I was told that cases of 

 snakebite were not uncommon. Many of the cases, however, merely 

 received treatment, and insisted on returning to their homes, the 

 ultimate issue of these cases being lost sight of, but no death had 

 been reported. Of eight cases that were actually admitted into this 



