382 JOURNAL, BOMBAY yATUUAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



makes it a most difficult creature to maiutain in one's grasp, and 

 it wriggles unceasingly. It is quite unable to bite one, the mouth 

 being too small to gain a grip on the skin. Under excitement it 

 protrudes the tongue which is a bifid organ as in other snakes. 



Dentition. The upper jaw bones are placed transversely in the 

 mouth, and each bears 4 or 5 teeth. There are no other teeth at all. 



Food. — Its food consists in the main of the larval, pupal, and 

 adult forms of ants, but other insects in their various metamorphic 

 stages are also devoured. 



Breedinr/.— Iri Assam and Burma it breeds in the hot weather. 

 I obtained gravid females in April, and Captain F. E. W. Venning 

 a gravid specimen in the Chin Hills in June. The embryos attain 

 a considerable degree of development inside the egg before the 

 latter is discharged. We do not know yet whether the egg is 

 voided as such or whether the embryo develops to such a degree 

 that it is able to rupture its envelope inside the mother, and be 

 born alive as in the case of most vipers, sea snakes, and some 

 other ophidians. It is probable however that the embrj^o attains 

 but a limited degree of development in the egg before it is dis- 

 charged, as we know to be the case with some snakes notably certain 

 species of Bendrofliis, and Dendrelaphis, Lachesis monticola, etc. 

 From 5 to 8 eggs have been observed in oi:ie female. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral — About one-third the width of the head. 

 Prcefrontal, frontal, and interparietal — Subequal. Sujrraoctilar and 

 prceparietal — Broader than the postparietal. Nasals — Semi-divided ; 

 the sutui'e above the nostril nearly reaches the rostral, and is about 

 one-third to one-fourth the suture below it ; th*^ latter suture passes 

 to the 2nd labial. Prceocidar — Laro-e, in contact with the 2nd and 

 3rd labials. Ocular large, in contact with the ord and 4th labials. 

 Suboctdar — Absent. Temporals — Two. Supralabials — Four. Costals 

 — In 26 rows anteriorly (rarely 24), 24 or 26 rows in midbody, 22 

 (sometimes 24) behind. 



Habitat. — The Teesta and Hooghly Rivers form its Western 

 boundary and it extends from there through the Brahmaputra, 

 Irrawaddy-Salween, Menam, and Mekong Basiiis and as far South 

 as the MalayaT) Peninsula. It has been recorded from the Eastern 

 Himalayas (Paniaghatta and Buxa Dooars) by me, from the Khasi 

 Hills by me, from the Abor Hills by Dr. Annandale and from the 

 N. Chin Hills by Captain F. E. W.Venning. 



Our plate is in every way excellent. 



(7'o be continued.') 



