THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 137 



RECORDS OF SNAKES CASTING THEIR SKINS. 



By D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S. 



{Read before the Field Naturalists^ Club of Victoria, 12tli January, 1903.) 



It may be of interest to give some dates on which different 

 snakes cast their skins, as it is a subject about which compara- 

 tively little is known. I therefore had records kept at the 

 / Melbourne Zoological Gardens for several months of some of 

 those kept in captivity there, and from them one learns that the 

 skins are cast far more frequently than is generally supposed to 

 be the case. 



Take, for instance, a Black-headed Snake, Aspidiotes inelano- 

 cephalus, Northern Australia, which cast its skin on 20th April, 

 27th May, 30th July, and i8th September. Then, again, a Black 

 Snake, Pseudechis porphyriacus, cast its skin on 15th April, 25th 

 June, and 30th July ; a Tiger Snake, Hophcephalus ctir-tus, on 

 22nd April, 2ist July, and 31st December ; an Olive-green Rock 

 Snake, Liasis olivacea, from Northern Australia, on 12th April, 

 29th May, 1 8th September, and 24th January. A Carpet Snake, 

 Morelia variegata, cast its skin on 19th April, 19th July, 20th 

 September, 26th January, i8th May, and ist September. 



As can be seen from the dates, the skins are cast frequently, 

 and irregularly as regards time ; but it is possible that the snakes 

 being kept in confinement, and possibly somewhat out of health, 

 may have something to do with that, for when a snake has 

 difficulty in shedding its skin except piecemeal it is generally a 

 sign of ill health. 



Just previous to the skin being shed it is usually lighter in 

 colour, and opaque over the eyes, consequently the snakes are 

 practically blind for the time being. They then rub their snout 

 against some hard substance, such as a log or stone, and when 

 they have succeeded in freeing the skin from the lips they gradually 

 push it off. As a rule it is shed entire, including the skin over 

 the eye. The larger non-venomous snakes are fond of lying in 

 water for a kw hours before changing, so as to soften the skin. 

 The Indian Pythons nearly always do so, but their skin is 

 generally shed piecemeal. ' 



These are only a few fragmentary notes, but later on I hope to 

 be able to give them for a longer time. It is difficult to get the 

 dates of changing without keeping these reptiles in confinement. 

 They are not as a rule sought after as pets. 



