338 COMMON REPTILES OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



mouth of the victim became more and more firmly 

 closed. 



The beautiful tree-snake, Dryophis mycterizans, 

 is doubtless relatively common in well-wooded 

 gardens, but specimens of it are rarely noticed, owing 

 to their arboreal habits and beautifully protective 

 colouring. Two very distinct varieties occur; one, 

 in which a vivid green colour has been worked out 

 so as to harmonise with the tints of foliage and 

 green shoots; and another, where the body is pale 

 brown, and in form and hue closely matches small 

 branches and twigs covered by brownish bark. 

 Owing to these peculiarities in colouring, to their 

 wonderfully slender form, and to an amazing capacity 

 for remaining absolutely still, they may well escape 

 notice whilst among their normal surroundings. 

 When they do happen to attract attention it is 

 usually by the disturbance that they cause among 

 neighbouring leaves and twigs in moving from one 

 place to another. The green specimens are often 

 quite wonderfully beautiful in the vivid colours of 

 their emerald and yellow coats, and both varieties 

 are very alluring from their slender form, their 

 refinedly gliding movements, and the extreme 

 elegance of many of the positions which they take 

 up whilst at rest. They are decidedly ill-tempered 

 animals, and are very ready to bite, but, in spite 

 of their somewhat suspicious teeth and the rooted 

 belief that the natives of India have in their 



