65 



might, with some reiisou, be attributed to the poison. Tlie non-venom- 

 ons snakes die rapidly — the Ptyas, a large, vigorous and fierce snake, 

 though non-venomous, succumbs within an hour or so to the bite of a 

 Cobra." 



From the fact that, in natural circumstances, a Hamadryad has 

 been foimd to have killed and almost swallowed a large Bnngartis, it 

 appears that it may be assumed that the poison of the latter is not 

 effective against the former, while the venom of the former is fatal to 

 the Bnngarus. The Hamadryad being a much more agile reptile than 

 the other, it may rely on its quicker powers of movement to enable it 

 to inflict a fatal bite on its prey and escape a bite itself ; in the same 

 way as the Mongoose does. There is, therefore, still some doubt 

 respecting the first assumption, though, I think, that the second is 

 clearly proved. 



Two cases of Hamadi'yads, caught in the act of eating non-poison- 

 ous snakes, have also come under my notice. In one the prey was a 

 Coluber radiatm of -5 feet 5 inches in length, while the Hamadryad 

 measured 9 feet 7 inches ; and in the second it was a common Rat 

 Snake. 



L. W. 



REPORT ON ERYTHEOXYLON COCA LEAVES FROM 



PERAK. 



By Professor WYNDHAM R. DUNSTAN, m.a., f.r.s., 



Director. 



n~^HE sample of coca leaves which is the subject of this report was 

 forwarded for examination to the Impei'ial Institute by the 

 Director of Museums, Federated Malay States, with letter No. D. M. 

 56/1907, dated the 15th April, 1907. The leaves were procured from 

 the Kamuning Estate, Perak, where about half an acre has been 

 planted with Erytliroxijlon coca. 



DESCKIPTION OF SAMPLE. 

 The sample consisted of about 15 lbs. of brownish-green leaves, 

 which varied in length from 1 to 2 inches ; they were brittle and very 

 much broken. The leaves resembled those of Erythroxylon coca, Lam., 

 var. spruceanum, as cultivated in Java, but were rather browner than a 

 good sample of the latter. 



RESULTS OF EXAMINATION. 

 Chemical examination of the leaves gave the following results : 



Moisture at 100= C 9.19 per cent. 



Ash 6.95 



Total alkaloids 0.64 



Bee, 1007. 



