THE ZOOLOGY OF EEITISH INDIA. 315 



ten species, all referred by Dr. Giinther to the typical genus Bipsas, 

 occur in South-eastern Asia. The Lycoclontidse. which next succeed, 

 are Grround-snakes, said to be nocturnal, and having the vertical 

 pupil, which generally denotes such habits. Eleven species of this 

 group are Indian ; others occur in Africa. Allied to them are the 

 Amblycephalidae, or " Blunt-heads," a small group of nocturnal 

 Snakes peculiar to the Indian region, two genera being found on the 

 continent, and the third being peculiar to Sumatra. The Pythonidae, 

 which now follow, are well known as the old-world representatives 

 of the American Boidae. Exceeding in their dimensions as they do, 

 their allies of the American tropics, the Pythons are among the 

 largest of living reptiles. The two Indian species, Pytlion reticu- 

 latus and P. molurus, are only rivalled in size by the African mem- 

 bers of the same genus, and the American Anaconda (Eimectes 

 murinus). ''Their dimensions," however, as well as " their strength, 

 " have been much exaggerated. Specimens of from 18 to 20 feet long, 

 " are very rare, although isolated statements of individuals, measuring 

 " 30 feet long, are on record, and worthy of credit." The Pythons are 

 likewise remarkable for the performance of the act of incubation, 

 otherwise unknown in the class of Eep tiles. Most of our readers will, 

 no doubt, recollect the sensation caused in London, by a large African 

 Python depositing her eggs in the reptile-house of the Zoological 

 Society, and incubating them for some months, although in this 

 iu stance not with successful results.* Next to the Pythonidse, Dr. 

 Giinther places the Erycidse or Sand-snakes, a group generally allied 

 in structure to the Boas, but of burrowing habits, and frequenting 

 dry, sandy, and stony plains, where the soil is suitable for such a 

 mode of hfe. Two species of this family occur in the peninsula of 

 India, and a third is said to be from Afghanistan. "With the Acro- 

 chordidse or Wart-snakes, a family composed of three abnormal and 

 isolated types, forming so many genera, Dr. Giinther terminates the 

 series of innocuous Colubrine Snakes. AcrocJioi^dus javanicus is 

 believed to feed on fruits ; Chersydrus granulatus is a thoroughly 

 aquatic species. Both of these occur within the limits of Dr. Giin- 

 ther's work. The third type, Xenodermus, if indeed it belongs at all 

 to this family, is only found in Java. 



* See Proc. Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 365, " On the incubation of Python Sebte." 

 By P. L. Sclater. 



