10^ SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



5. Another fatality from Snake-bite. — A visitor to my laboratory , 

 while handling one of my caged snakes, was bitten on the thumb 

 by a small specimen of Dipsas ceylonensis. This is one of those 

 interesting species that, while possessing grooved fangs, have 

 apparently no poison gland in connection with them. The bite 

 drew blood, but the patient suffered no subsequent inconvenience 

 whatever. On the other hand, the snake was found dead next 

 morning, without any signs of injury to account for its decease. 

 To paraphrase the well-known rhyme, "The man recovered of his 

 bite, the snake it was that died." 



E. E. GREEN. 



6. The Bite of the " Brahminy Lizard." — Year by year the Regis- 

 trar-General's annual mortality report includes one or more cases of 

 " death from bite of the Brahminy lizard." The Brahminy lizard is 

 the common skink [Mahuia carinata), the bite of which is firmly 

 believed by the natives of the country to be of a most venomous 

 character. Dissection reveals no poison glands. The teeth of the 

 animal are not grooved, nor are they even sharply pointed, their 

 crowns being obliquely truncate. I have however received at first 

 hand particulars that seem to show that the bite of this lizard can 

 be followed by slight symptoms of poisoning. A lady tells me that, 

 happening to place her hand on the floor under a table, she felt a 

 distinct bite on the finger, and one of these skinks ran out. The 

 wound was scarcely appreciable and drew no blood ; but in three 

 hours' time that finger was very swollen and tense. There was 

 some tenderness on pressure, but no general disturbance. The only 

 remedy adopted was the dipping of the injured finger in raw whisky 

 at intervals. The swelling gradually abated and had almost dis- 

 appeared by the following morning. 



It seems probable, therefore, that the ordmary saliva of this lizard 

 has some poisonous quality, in which case it might be possible for 

 a person in weak health to be so seriously affected as to succumb 

 from the efl^ects of the bite. 



E. E. GREEN. 



7. Vitality of Dragonfly Larvce. — I recently received by post a 

 match box containing several specimens of the aquatic larvae of a 

 dragonfly (LibelluUd) . To my surprise the insects, though they 

 must have been out of the water for nearly twenty-four hours, were 

 alive and very active. When placed in their native element they 

 were so dry and so full of air that they were quite unable to sink 

 below the surface. One of them managed to crawl down a stick to 

 the bottom of the vessel, but upon releasing its hold it promptly 

 rose to the surface again. 



