NOTES OX 6EA SXAKES FROM MADRAS. mi 



Altogothor 84 specimens woro colKictoil, Of 49 soxed, 21 proved to bo ^ , 

 aud 28 $. The largost males were .'51, 'Ml, and 31.V inches, and the largest 

 females were {V2, .'52, .'52, 82 .^ and 3;5.\ inches. 



The breeding season is evidently from May to Angust. Nine specimens 

 evidently young of the year, ranged betsveen l.'i and 17. V inches. The 

 young are at birch about 1;5 to 14 inches in length, 14 inches being the 

 longest fcetal measurement. A specimen 17' inches long on the 24th 

 June was probably born in early May or even April. After the male 

 embryos attain tt> about 11 ^ inches the genitals become enshcathed (see 

 remarks on this subject under //. fasciatus), so that it is impossible to 

 record the sex in nianj'- of the fcotusos. The clasper" in a foetus were 

 observed to be not bifurcate. The brood is retained " in matri" for an 

 unusually long period, for in viviparous land snakes 1 find at birth, the fcc- 

 tus is about one-fourth the average length of a mature adult. In curtus 

 it will bo seen that they are nearly half the average maternal length at 

 nativity. Seven specimens ranging between 19 and 21J inches seem to 

 indicate that the growth during the first year of life is about 6 to 6 inches. 

 This species and Ht/drojihis yrncills are the least prolific of all the snakes 

 I know. 



ENHTDRINA VALAKADYX (Boie). 



Although 1 had arranged to exclude this species entirely from those 

 being collected, fifteen were forwarded to me. Forty-five were rejected. 

 Nearly all those I received were j'onng of the year. Eleven specimens 

 ranging between 12^, and 17 inches, were taken in .Tune, and four others in 

 the same month measured 27, 27^, 26, and 29^ inches, evidently the last 

 year's production. 



Dr. Henderson tells me the Tamil fisherfolt call this snake "pottai 

 pambu " literally " female snake", the reason for which is obscure. 



