MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 391 



The posterior sublinguals touch 3 infralabials 4th, 5th and 6th, or 5th, 6th and 

 7th. The 6th or 7th of the inf ralabial series constitutes the pentagonal which 

 is broader than the posterior sublinguals, and in contact with 3 scales 

 posteriorly. Keels in both sexes are present in all rows of scales, to the tip 

 of the tail, excepting the ultimate row for a variable extent in the forepart 



of the body. 



Helicops schistosus.— This is evidently a very common snake in this locality, 

 as every simpwallah had some, and could procure them in numbers to 

 order. The rule that the females in snakes are larger than the males, is 

 certainly exemplified in this species. It is of a very inoffensive disposition, 

 never attempting to bite, though some of my specimens had ample provo- 

 cation. At one spot in the Hotel garden the grass beneath some trees 

 was long, and all my specimens when liberated invariably made for this 

 patch about 10 to 15 yards distant. No matter how often they were 

 brought back into the open, they repeated their endeavours, and though 

 frustrated, never tried to bite me when effecting their recapture. They 

 would glide under or over such obstacles as a handkerchief placed and 

 flourished in their way, or through or over my feet, in preference to 

 taking a more circuitous direction to avoid them. In motion they slightly 

 erect the head, and move briskly and fast. When alarmed they erect the 

 head, and flatten the body down to the vent, to a very remarkable degree, 

 far more so than any other snake I know. This flattening is more evident 

 in the females, and I witnessed it most often when they were disturbed 

 in opening their box. At liberty they behave similarly, but they strive to 

 escape so hurriedly that one has not the same opportunity of observing this 

 peculiarity. The eye is rotated more actively, and to a degree I have never 

 witnessed in other species, and to this it owes its very appropriate generic 

 name Helicops ( Gk. HeliIcos=vo\\ing, ops eye). Though so common the 

 sampioallalis had no vernacular name for it. They all told me it frequented 

 the bamboos in the Lai Bagh, and many of the specimens were caught on the 

 bamboo vegetation some feet from the ground. They denied its frequenting 

 water, which surprised me, for the high-placed, slit-like nostrils proclaim 

 its aquatic tastes. 



Three specimens were brought to me on the 27th August — 2 males and 1 

 female ; all were captured lying on the same bamboo stem about 10 feet from 

 the ground. Two of these were observed to be " in copula" at about 5 p.m. 

 on the 26th, and a futile attempt at capture made, which was not pressed, 

 the men fearing that the pair might disengage, and jeopardise their chance 

 of obtaining my reward of five rupees. Another and a successful attempt 

 was made on the morning of the 27th, and strange to say the snakes were 

 produced from a cloth at about 11 a.m. still united. I carefully investigated 

 the conjunction on several occasions, being favoured by the docile nature 

 of the species, and their lengthy union, which lasted, without intermission 

 (so far as I am aware), until some time after 12-30 p.m. on the 28th idem. 



