INDIAN ROCK SNAKE. 165 



The young grub has the peculiar habit of eating holes in the centre 

 of the leaf instead of from the margin inwards, as with most cater- 

 pillars, but this habit it gives up as it increases in size. It conceals 

 itself generally on the under surface of the leaf. In from 20 to 25 

 days it attains to full size, and is then about 2 inches long by % inch 

 broad at the centre, cylindrical, slightly tapering towards the ex- 

 tremities, provided with 4 pairs of black fleshy tentacles about £ 

 inch long, one pair being on each of the following segments — 3, 4, 

 6, and 12, skin smooth, glossy, head black, 2nd segment white 

 with two small black dots on the back ; all the other segments white 

 with a broad band of black round the centre of each j legs black. 

 Segments 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 have on each side on the black 

 ground small round patches of bright scarlet, particularly distinct 

 on the 6th and 11th segments ; belly black. 



On attaining its full size the grub spins a small pad of silk on the 

 under surface of a leaf, attaching its last pair of legs firmly to this 

 pad and hanging thus freely suspended head downwards; it remains 

 thus for about 24 hours, when it casts its skin and changes to pupa. 



The pupa is naked, hanging freely suspended from its oval seg- 

 ment as in all the Nymphalidee ; it is 1 inch long by T 7 ^ broad ; 

 colour golden yellow, with large patches of bright metallic gold, the 

 black spots on the wings of the butterfly showing through the 

 yellow parts of the chrysalis. 



In 12 or 13 days the pupa loses its brilliant colouring and metallic 

 lustre and turns black, and about 24 hours later the butterfly 

 emerges. 



I have given a few specimens of the pupa to the Natural History 

 Society, so that if my desci-iption is faulty it can be corrected. 



The food-plant I was unable to define, but I left some leaves with 

 the Society, and perhaps they have been classed by this time. The 

 creeper was unfortunately not in flower, nor could I find any seeds. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE FEEDING, &c, OF THE 



INDIAN ROCK SNAKE (PYTHON MOLURUS) 



KEPT IN THE SOCIETY'S ROOMS, 



From 27th May 1886 to 20th May 1887. 

 By H. M. Phipson, C.M.Z.S., Hon. Sec, B. Nat. Hist. Soc. 

 The following particulars, showing the amount of food consumed 

 by the Python in the Society's Rooms in one year with the varia- 



