882 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. .SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



makes it a most difficult creature to maintain in one's grasp, and 

 it wriggles unceasingly. It is quite unable to bite one, the mouth 

 being too small to gain a grip on the skin. Under excitement it 

 protrudes the tongue which is a bifid organ as in other snakes. 



Dentition. The upper jaw bones are placed transversely in the 

 mouth, and each bears 4 or 5 teeth. There are no other teeth at all. 



Food. — Its food consists in the main of the larval, pupal, and 

 adult forms of ants, but other insects in their various metamorphic 

 stages are also devoured. 



Breeding. — In Assam and Burma it breeds in the hot weather. 

 I obtained gravid females in April, and Captain F. E. W. Venning 

 a gravid specimen in the Chin Hills in June. The embryos attain 

 a considerable degree of development inside the egg before the 

 latter is discharged. We do not know yet whether the egg is 

 voided as such or whether the embiyo develops to such a degree 

 that it is able to rupture its envelope inside the mother, and be 

 born alive as in the case of most vipers, sea snakes, and some 

 other ophidians. It is probable however that the embryo attains 

 but a limited degree of development in the egg before it is dis- 

 charged, as we know to be the case with some snakes notably certain 

 species of Bendropkis, and Bendrelaphis, Lachesis monticola, etc. 

 From 5 to 8 eggs have been observed in one female. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral — Aboiit one-third the width of the head. 

 Prcefrontal, frontal, and interparietal — Subequal. Supraocular and 

 prceparietal — Broader than the postparietal. Nasals — Semi-divided ; 

 the suture above the nostril nearly reaches the rostral, and is aboul 

 one-third to one-fourth the suture below it; th^ latter suture passes 

 to the 2nd labial. Prceocular — Large, in contact with the 2nd ami 

 3rd labials. Oodar large, in contact with the 3rd and 4th labials. 

 Subocular — Absent. Tew/porals — Two. Supralabials — Four. ( 'ostals 

 — Iii 20 rows anteriorly (rarely 24), 24 or 2(i rows in midbody, 22 

 (sometimes 24) behind. 



Hahitat. — The Teesta and Hooghly Rivers form its Western 

 boundary and it extends from there through the Brahmaputra, 

 Irrawaddy-Salween, Menam, and Mekong Basins and as far South 

 as the Malayan Peninsula. It has been recorded from the Eastern 

 Himalayas (Paniaghatta and Buxa Dooars) by me, from the Khasi 

 Hills by me, from the Abor Hills by Dr. Annandale and from the 

 N. Chin Hills by Captain F. E. W. Venning. 



Our plate is in every way excellent. 



CTo l» j continued.} 



