533 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI. 



It was sent to the British Museum, and identified by Mr. Boulenger as a 

 colour variety of this species. 3 Sometimes the flank line is inconspicuous 

 or even wanting. The green colour is imparted to the spirit in which 

 specimens are preserved, and accounts probably for the change of colour 

 which they undergo in this medium, approaching blue rather than green. 



Identification. — This is easy. Any grass green snake with a vertical 

 pupil like the domestic cat's must be either Lachesis gramineus or L. 

 purpureomaculatus or L. macrolepis. The loreal pit will confirm this 

 diagnosis. To distinguish between these snakes count the rows of scales 

 over the back in the posterior part of the body. In gramineus they 

 number fifteen normally, sometimes seventeen ; in purpureomaculatus 

 they are nineteen normally ; and in macrolepis eleven or ten. (To do 

 this, turn the creature on to its back, and seek for the vent, a transverse 

 aperture in the hinder parts. This marks the junction of the body and 

 tail. Count at a spot two heads lengths in front of this.) 4 



Haunts. — It usually frequents low vegetation, selecting a hedgerow 

 or tangle of bush, but shows a marked preference for bamboo in locali- 

 ties where this flourishes. Sometimes it is encountered in grass, and 

 Theobald mentions having found one in the caves near Moulmein in 

 Lower Burma, and another on limestone rocks on the ground. Mr. 

 S. S. Flower * records one coming into a house, and Captain Evans and 

 I have known a similar intrusion in Burma where one was killed 

 found lying, along a beam in a native hut having swallowed a small rat. 

 Giinther f mentions it hanging from branches of trees, but I think it is 

 more usually to be seen reclining among branches close to the ground 

 (say nearer four than eight feet). Mr. Hampton tells me that in captivity 

 they spend most of their time on the branches provided for them, and 

 seldom descend except at night. During the winter a few retired 

 under blankets, but the majority remained huddled together on branches. 

 Whether in grass or in bush its colour harmonises so perfectly with its 

 environment that it is usually not discovered until seen to move. 



Disposition. — Giinther | speaking of the genus alludes to their sluggish 



habits, and says they sometimes make no attempt to move out of one's 



way. Later the same author says : " When roused these snakes are 



extremely fierce, striking at everything within their reach." Mr. 



Gerhardt in a letter to me writes : " They are very sluggish, and allow 



* Proc, Zool. Soc , Load., May 16th, 1899, page 696. f Bept., Brit. India, p. 386 (1863-C4) 

 t » » » p. 384. 



