98 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



from the intestine, for it is always seen on that part of the shell 

 which lies in contact with the gut. is ahsent when the gut ig 

 emptv. and present in pome eggs in the string corresponding to a 

 loaded part of the intestine. It may he originally derived from the 

 pigment in the skins of the creatures ingested. When laid the grey 

 colour is never visible as far as I am aware. 



When deposited the eggs measure frmi rather less than one to 

 one and-a-quarter inches and are rather more than twice as long as 

 their breadth. They contain no trace of an embryo. The periods 

 of gestation and incubation are not known to me. 



Hatchl'mgs. — Tnese escape from the egg doubtless by means of the 

 foetal tooth, though I have failed to find it in the many examples 

 I have examined. The appe ranee of the eggs afer evacuation is 

 sim'lar to that seen in other species. A clutch of five was brought to 

 me on the 18th July last year found in a Planter's bungalow. A 

 single hatchling was present with the eggs, all of which, except a 

 non-fertile one, were empty. 1 give a drawing of these eggs to 

 show the cuts in the shel s through wh ! ch the young had gained their 

 liberty. Each cut was as clean as if done with a sharp knife. 



The young when they escape from the egg vary in length from 6| 

 to 7-f inches, or about one-third the length of a large adult. They 

 are exactly like most adults in colour and markings. I have seen two 

 of the same brood, one with very distinct yellow bars in the whole 

 body-length, whilst the other had a few rather obscure bars anteriorly 

 only. One of these was very vicious, and bit me more than once 

 when handling it. It attacked, killed, and soon swallowed a young 

 gecko 1 gave it. 



EGGS OF LYCODON AVLU VS. 

 To show incised apertures of exit made by hutchlings 



(Bat. sizc> 



