2 Hans Gädow, 



may suddenly turn and bite, not with a quick blow of the widely 

 opened mouth of a viper or rattle, and then let go, but it fastens 

 onto, and deliberately chews tlie stricken spot with its small-gaped 

 mouth, so as to make sure that the poison shall get in, always with 

 bad, sometimes with fatal effect. Second. There are in Mexico, 

 Central and South America a surprising number of harmless snakes, 

 many of which resemble in their colouration the poisonous Elaps to 

 a wonderful extent, so much indeed that it requires an expert to 

 appreciate the differences. The harmless Brazilian Erythrolamprus 

 venKstissimus has been actuall}^ described by Waglee, and figured 

 by Spix, as a species of Elaps. 



Most species of the poisonous Elaps wearing such a conspicuous 

 dress, as the combination of black, red and yellow rings or bands, 

 are naturally instanced as first rate examples of warning colours, 

 whilst the harmless snakes, on the strength of the same striking 

 garb, and. occuring in the same countries, are considered as equally 

 good cases of mimicry. Both views seem so obvious as to beyond 

 challenge, and yet they lose much of their strength when considered 

 ciitically and in detail. 



There is no prettier and raore conspicuously coloured. object 

 than a live Coralsnake when examined as a specimen, Unfortunately 

 the red colour is extracted by alcohol, and it fades in the light to 

 a sickly white, so that Museum specimens give but a poor idea of 

 their original beauty. In their natural surroundings, on the ground, 

 amongst Vegetation, they are just as conspicuous at a close distance, 

 the red catching our eye at once, but at a distance, say beyond 

 five yards, they seem to vanish, at least parts of them according 

 to the pattern. It may not appeal to the closet-zoologist, but it is 

 nevertheless a most instructive experiment to have some flexible tubes 

 painted with the various patterns and colours of these suakes and 

 to study the effect of these toys when thrown at random into an 

 herbaceous border, upon the grass, into shrubs in bright sunshine 

 or on a dull day. In most cases the effacive effect is surprising, 

 whilst a similar toy painted monochrome, draws attention at once. 



Other conditions prevail at dusk, to be studied of course at close 

 distances. Black, alternating with red produces an effacive blurr; 

 black and yellow in equal proportions enhance each other. 



All Coralsnakes, and nearly all their supposed Imitators lead a 

 decidedly hidden life; always on the ground underneath dense Vege- 

 tation where there is no direct light, under rotting trees, moss and 



