452 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HLST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXL 



easily separated by the number of ventral shields, i.e., from throat 

 to vent. In Eryx they are 192 to 210, in molurus 242 to 265, 

 and in reticulatus 297 to 330. 



Dimensions. — It is difficult to say with certaint}^ to what length 

 the python may attain. It seems probable that many of the great 

 lengths given by travellers and sportsmen were guessed at, and 

 the snake not actually measured. The creature is very thick 

 relatively to its length, perhaps three or four times the girth of a 

 Russell's viper of similar length, and five or six times that of a 

 dhaman (Zmnenis onucostis') . If a python's length were judged from 

 its girth, the estimate would grosslj'' exceed the real measurement. 



Specimens of 10 feet are not very uncommon, as will be seen 

 from the following records, and there is little doubt that it exceeds 

 20 feet. In this Journal * Ferguson records an 18 foot one from the 

 Ashambu Hills, and Ma,]'or Begbie f one of a similar length killed 

 near Baksa Duars. Other specimens of like proportions have been 

 recorded by the late D. Ferguson in Ceylon ±, and in the Pioneer 

 from Rajshai (Rajapur).1[ I saw the skin of a specimen of the 

 same length in the possession of Mr. A. M. Harry in Assam. 

 Mr. Prince of the King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry shot a 

 female in the United Provinces in 1906 which measured 18 feet 

 3 inches. In Land and Water (August 10th, 1866 or 67?) one is 

 mentioned from Mussoorie of 18 feet 9 inches. Tennent** i-efers 

 to a specimen brought him in Ceylon that taped 19 feet. Another 

 reported of a similar length was encountered by Captain George 

 and Mr. Delsuage when shooting in Ceylon. This was captured 

 and brought to Colombo, and exhibited in 1885 when I sa'w it. 

 Jerdon -f-f saw a 19 foot specimen killed in Travancore, and 

 Dr. Elmes told me of one he shot in Assam (N. Lakhimpur Dis- 

 trict) of the same size. A specimen measuring 19 feet 2 inches in 

 our Society's collection, shot by the late Maharaijah of Cooch Behar 



* Vol. X, page 69. 



t Vol. XVII, page 1021. 



X Kept, fauna, Ceylon, p. 22. 



t 3rd July 1907 



** Nat. His. of Ceylon, II, p. I.5.S. 



tt Journ. As. Soc, Bengal, XXII, p. 526. 



