-=. 135 — 



them in the crevices of rocks like the Scincus of the Mauritius 

 caves. 



I observed also the bright green lizard \vi*^^h crimson spots 

 similar to those in Mauritius but did not catch one. 



The two small scorpions in the bott'e are identical with 

 those here. 



In the absence of works on the subject I am very reluctant 

 to give any opinion about the Snakes, past their being all 

 harmless and all colubras- The died specimen I sent you how- 

 ever was very pugnacious and told raising and flattening his 

 head like the poisonous Snakes. This induced me at first to 

 think them venemous, but having lost my glass at the time, I 

 was unable to examine its teeth, and it is difficult to do so 

 now. Unlike any other Snake I know, it glides with extreme 

 rapidity over the ground with its head elevated. 



I have taken some trouble to compare these specimens from 

 Bound Island, but there is such a povert_y of books of refer- 

 ence here, that I think nothing definite can be arrived at with 

 them until they have been forwarded to some good authority 

 in England. Still I trust these meagre notes may be of some 

 use to you in preparing your Eeport on Eound Island, and if 

 I can be of any further service to Tour Excellency pray 

 command me, as it will always give me great pleasure to 

 respond to your calls. 



Very truly yours, 



Nicolas Pied. 



NOTES on Round Island Plants collected by His Excellency 

 Sir H. Barkly on the 10th No^rember 1869, by Mr- Home, 

 Sub-Director of the Botanical Gardens. 



No. 1. Tyhphora species : According to the specimen in 

 the Royal College Herbarium, this plant agrees with the 

 Mauritius T. Asthmatica, specimens of which are forwarded , 

 but the species seems to me to differ from the descriptions of 



