290 REPTILES. 



cobra somewhat in colouration and in having a dilatable neck, and 

 suffers accordingly, as it is often mistaken for it and mercilessly 

 killed. There are four species each of Cohiher and Dipsas ; three 

 of TracUschkm ; two each of Simoics, Ahlahes, and Typhlops, and 

 five genera are each represented in Sikhim by a single species only. 

 Among them the more notable are Dendroplm pida, a prettily- 

 coloured slender tree-snake, and Drijophis prasinus, a handsome green 

 whip-snake, which grows to 7 feet in length, and is graceful in its 

 movements. Both, although perfectly innocuous, are of ferocious 

 and ao-o-ressive habits. Ambhjceplialm montkola, the only blunt-head 

 in Sikhim, is alone among the Sikhim non- venomous snakes in being 

 without the shield lying between the nasal and prseocular shields, 

 whilst it is (the loreal shield), with this_ solitary exception, present in 

 all the harmless species, and is absent in every one of the venomous ; 

 so that in Sikhim the non-venomous species can at once be distin- 

 guished from the venomous, with the one exception mentioned, by the 

 presence of the loreal shield which lies above the lip, and between 

 the shield in contact with the front of the eye and the one in which 

 the nostril is pierced. As already mentioned, 7ione of the venomous 

 sorts have this particular shield. 



Of frogs and toads, there are about 16 species. Seven of them 



belong to the genus Rana ; four to Racophm'oiis ; 



Frogs and toads, &c. ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^ Cophophryne and 



Leptolrachmm. Amongst them are several prettily-coloured tree- 

 frogs. The natives eat five species, and consider them tasty and 

 wholesome food. They catch them at night by the light of bam- 

 boo torches, which so dazzles the creatures that they remain motion- 

 less and allow themselves to be caught. The Lepchas call the 

 edible frog {Rana Kchigii) of the Upper Forests " Lhak-pok-thalak," 

 while the Nepali name is "Mhun-paha," and all natives agree that 

 this kind is the best eating. It is even said that every kind of frog 

 can be eaten, except the big toad with poisonous warts on his back. 

 When the Lepchas make a bigger catch than they can eat fresh, they 

 gut and smoke-dry the surplus for future use, when they will keep 

 good for years, but get so hard and tough as to require much boiling. 

 The edible frog named above is said to eat the young shoots of 

 the "Mailing" bamboo. Several of the species are recognized by 

 their call. There is but one species of tailed-batrachian, a newt, 

 (Tyhhotrifon vernicostis) and it is rare. There is also but one 

 burrowing-batrachian, Ichtlujoplils monochrous, which is fairly common 

 about 3 — 5,000 feet elevation. Were it not for its distinct head and 

 eyes, it might easily be overlooked for one of the large earthworms. 



