THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 46^ 



Young. — The hatchlings referred to already, acquired in Tra- 

 vancore, measured on an average 2 feet 5 inches.* In Hegent's 

 Park in 1881, the eggs which had been incubated for six weeks 

 were found to-be decomposing, and the contained embryos were 

 then 11 inches long. The young hatched in Paris in 1841 are- 

 reported to have sloughed in from 10 to 14 days, prior to which 

 they refused all food. 



Growth. — The Travancore brood, it is reported, grew 11 inches in 

 4 months, and it would appear from this that growth in early life 

 is more rapid than later, for Colonel Pollock f states that a speci- 

 men he had that was 1 2 feet long when he got it, grew about 3 feet 

 in 2 years. The smallest incubating or gravid female with which 

 I am acquainted was 11 feet long. This was shot on her eggs in 

 April 1903 near Colombo, and I measured the skin which was in the 

 possession of a Eurasian lad, an enthusiastic collector and lover of 

 snakes. It is difficult to say precisely at what age this length 

 would be attained, but I estimate that the snake would be beginning 

 its sixth year. I find that most snakes double their length in the 

 first year of life, so that a specimen 2-^ feet when hatched would 

 be 5 feet at the end of the first year. If one allows a growth of 

 3 feet for 2 years, the rate given above by Colonel Pollock, 1 1 feet, 

 would be attained at the end of the 5th year of life. A specimen 

 in Regent's Park was 1 2 feet long when her eggs were laid. After 

 maturity considerable growth continues for some years in most 

 cases, but in captivity some examples grow little if at all after 

 acquiring a length of 12 feet or less. Thus a specimen captive in 

 Travancore for 1 2 years 9 months measured but 9-^ feet when it 

 died.§ 



Age. — Very few records .seem to have been made of this in- 

 teresting matter. Gunther however mentions a python attaining 

 the age of 1 9 years in Regent's Park. It was 4 years old when 

 acquired, and lived a further period of 15 years in captivity. 

 The various breeding events known to me are tabulated as fol- 



* The Field, SvdOctohevl90S. 



t Sporting" days in Soutliern India, p. 223. 



§ The Field. iGth March 1904- 



