464 SNAKES. 



efforts to dive into the earth. It grew gradually more 

 feeble, and died the third day. Altogether there were eight 

 or more. Three were hatched before I saw them, the rest 

 were produced in the membranous 'shell,' and in all the 

 shells the remains of the yolk were seen. A remarkable 

 feature was that these remains of egcr all vanished in a 

 manner that wholly baffled my investigations. The yellow 

 yolk was too palpable to become absorbed in the moss and 

 sand ; it could not have escaped notice. With the greatest 

 care I searched and examined every spray of moss, every 

 blade of grass, over and over again, but could discern no 

 trace ; neither the skin nor any slimy glaire, nor one tinge 

 of yolk, nor any globulous collections of moisture whatever. 

 Blackie did not eat them ; for she remained at the bottom of 

 the box while the cares of maternity were upon her, never 

 moving. There was no possible doubt about her being the 

 mother of the brood. Her companions in captivity came to 

 the surface as usual during an hour or two of sunshine, and 

 then retired underground. 



In removing the moss that first day to look for Blackie, I 

 saw by an enlargement at the lower part of the body that 

 her family was still increasing ; and if such a creature ca?i 

 appeal, the look with which she feebly raised her head as if 

 to entreat not to be disturbed, was one not to be disregarded. 

 So I left her unmolested the whole day, and indeed until she 

 began to show herself and move about like the rest, coming 

 up if enticed by sunshine, and retiring early below, as they 

 all did daily. 



I communicated this interesting event to Mr. Frank 

 Buckland at the time, and to the editor of a zoological 



