4 Hans Gadow, 



importance. There are large districts of unquestionable -E'/ap^-terrain, 

 where tlie harmless species and individuals form the great majority. 



2. The ränge of harmless species in the typical dress of Elaps 

 often extends far beyond that of the nearest species of Flaps, and 

 it would be ridiculous to suppose that the harmless snakes have 

 spread the fame of Elaps and still reap the benefit of their bad 

 reputation. The only reasonable conclusion is that they have 

 developed the identical coloration without any reference to Elaps, 

 and since they are harmless their's cannot be warning colours. This 

 conclusion is subversive to the usually accepted theory which presumes 

 the uoxious sample to be copied. In the case of North Mexico and 

 the United States it would be almost more reasonable to assume 

 that the sly Elaps is the copy and now parades the loud dress so 

 much afifected by harmless snakes. 



3. The majority of the harmless kinds are 'constrictors', like 

 Coronella, which eat not only other indifferently coloured snakes, 

 but each other, so that at least amongst these humbugs them- 

 selves the warning principle is not effective. 



4. Although there are well ascertained instances of Ela2)s and 

 its copies having been collected in the same district (in most cases 

 the only Information available is the name of the nearest town) 

 I have not yet come across a Single instance of what may be called 

 occurrence side by side, and my own not inconsiderable collecting 

 experience has hitherto yielded the same negative result. Perhaps 

 Ela2)s is shunned, or it clears the others out, or it is killed by 

 Coronella micropholis, and none of these concealed snakes travel far 

 or have a large beat. Some of the North American Coronellas are 

 called Kingsnakes, because they attack and master Rattlesnakes and 

 Moccasins. 



5. The variations of pattern in Elaps are manifold, and every 

 one of these most diverse patterns and combinations of colours occurs 

 also in one or more of the socalled copying genera, but rarely in 

 the same district. 



6. Certain striking patterns, very common in harmless genera, 

 do not occur in Elaps. These harmless snakes have therefore a 

 greater ränge of pattern than the genus Elaps which they are 

 supposed to copy. 



7. A very great amount of Variation exists not only in snakes 

 of the same species but also in members of the same brood, and 



