560 JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NA TURA L HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



I have had it from Matheran and there are specimens in om- Society's 

 collection from Bombay and Satara. 



Our colonred figures are taken from a specimen which does not show 

 the arrangement of the dorsal marks in their most typical form, though 

 the tendency to division in the cross-bars is obvious. Figure lb is most 

 misleading in the arrangement of its spots which are obviously from a 

 very unusual specimen. It is to be regretted too that the longitudinal 

 striping which Mr. Gerhardt showed so nicely in his original sketch 

 has not been reproduced by our London artist, thus detracting from the 

 latter's good work. Fig. Y of our diagram is very typical. 



Variety D. — Boulenger's variety B.* The fasciahis of Giinther. 

 The ground colour is buff or pale yellowish-brown. A median series of 

 largish, well-defined, round spots passes down the back, some of the 

 anterior ones being often divided. Outside these are irregularly shaped, 

 ill-defined, smaller, dark marks. There are no longitudinal stripes 

 down the body, and any variegation noticeable is confined to the flanks. 

 There are spots near the edge of most of the ventrals on each side. 

 The head marks are as in the foregoing. The specimens recorded by 

 Giinther are from the Deccan and Matheran. Others have been re- 

 corded from Bombay! and Poona|. 



Though svbgriseus is a common snake it will be seen that the 

 records I have quoted above are rather meagre. This is due to the 

 fact that many writers have not recorded the variety met with nor 

 described the colouration sufficiently to enable me to place them with 

 the above varieties. 



Haunts. — I know nothing that calls for special remark, beyond that 

 it is evidently a snake of the Plains, but wanders into the Hills. I 

 have a specimen (var b) from Shembaganur Palney Hills (circa 6,300 

 ft.) It is, I believe, not a jungle snake, but one that prefers open 

 country where its sombre colouration is in harmony with a barren 

 soil. 



Disposition. — The few specimens that have come into my hands 

 alive have all been particularh^ well behaved, allowing me to handle 

 them freely without attempting to bite. Mr. Gleadow, howevei', 

 in a letter to our Society mentions one that he wounded and attempted 

 to carry home over a stick, but which repeatedly fell off and in replac- 



* Loc. cit. 



t Bomb. Nut. Hist. Jourl., Vol. I, Cat. of Snakes. J Iblil., Vol. Ill, Cat. of Snakes. 



