54 



Distribution 

 of Coloura- 

 tion. 



Protective 

 Habits. 



This colouration seems to point to the fact that 

 the python does not confine its hunting to dusk, 

 but often ambushes its prey before the sun has set, 

 seizing and catching in its coils any deer or other 

 small game that may come down to the water to 

 drink in the evening. 



The Viper Russellii is darkly coloured as a 

 protection. Being nocturnal, its colouration would 

 be useless while hunting. 



When lying asleep amongst the dead leaves, 

 its brown skin, covered with blackish leaf-shaped 

 markings, renders it almost invisible. 



The Trimeresurus Trigonocephalus, a noc- 

 turnal snake, found on bushes and trees, is 

 coloured green with black blotches, which break 

 up what would otherwise be too large a stretch of 

 uniform colouration. 



It can, in most cases, be taken as a rule that 

 nocturnal snakes are protectively coloured, and 

 other snakes both protectively and aggressively 

 coloured. Snakes that are unpalatable to birds and 

 animals that prey on reptiles give warning, and 

 save their own lives, by the colour of their skin. 



Other serpents, that are not in any way 

 benefited by the pattern of their skin, often have 

 some other physical advantages to make up for it. 



Take for example the Rat-snake (Zamenis 

 Mucosus), the Cobra (Naia Tripudians), the 

 Dendrophmae, and the Tropidonoti. The Rat- 

 snake and the Dendrophinae have speed, the Cobra 

 its threatening hood, and the Tropidonoti their 

 ability to flatten their bodies in such a way as to 

 resemble vipers, thereby protecting themselves 

 from attack. 



Tropidonotus Stolatus will sit up and expand 

 its neck in much the same manner as the Cobra, 

 and many of the tree-snakes, such as the Dipsa- 

 dinae and the Trimeresuri, vibrate their tales- 

 rapidly when disturbed. 



