752 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



that had fallen into a well in the compound, having probably fallen 

 from the masonry. One received this year was found at night in 

 the bedding of one of the Gurkhas encamped on granite hill, Almora. 

 This like other kukri snakes is of course harmless, but a specimen 

 in Bannu was responsible for the death of a sepoy. I am 

 indebted to Captain Sumner, I. M.S., for the details of the incident. 

 It appears that the sepoy with others was on duty at Kurram 

 Garti ( 8 miles from Bannu) and under canvas. He came off 

 sentry at about 11 p.m., removed his uniform, and laid down on 

 his bed on the ground. He jumped up immediatelj' rubbing his 

 buttock, and declared that something had bitten him there. His 

 companions searched his bedding, and there found a snake which 

 they killed. They examined him, but could see no signs of a bite 

 and tried to persuade him, though without success, that he had not 

 been bitten. The next morning he did not get up, and his 

 companions could not rouse him. The Hospital Assistant was 

 sent for and found him comatose. He did what he could for him, 

 and sent him in a dhooly to Bannu, but he expired on the way. 

 Captain Sumner here examined the body, and could find no local 

 signs of the bite, and was much perplexed as to the cause of death. 

 The snake was put into a bottle, and kept in the hospital, and 

 when I heard of the case I wrote to Lt.-Col. Magrath in Bannu, 

 who sent me the specimen. To my surprise I found the author of 

 the mischief was a common kukri snake, 1 foot 7-^ inches long. 

 It seems to me that the man must have died of fright, believing 

 himself bitten. 



Disposition. — I do not consider it a malicious snake, though it 

 will sometimes menace, or even inflict a bite when molested, 

 or its liberty is jeopardised. I have had many alive, picked up 

 several in their natural haunts, and had more than one in captivit}^. 

 Some showed great timidity, others faced round pluckily and 

 menaced or struck without inflicting an injury, or more rarely 

 actually bit me. Russell had one that he brought face to face with 

 pigeons and chickens, but which he could not induce it to bite. 



Habits. — It is an active and voracious little reptile, easil}^ taking 

 alarm, and hastily attempting concealment. It is often wonder- 

 fully adroit in evading swift movements directed towards seizing 

 it by the neck, and has made me realise how cautious one should be 

 in attempting the capture of poisonous snakes in this manner. 



I have seen it inflate its body to a remarkable degree under the 

 influence of excitement. It was noticed that the expansion affected 

 a length of the body considerably in excess of the limitB of the 

 lug, for it was observed to reach to the loth cross-bar. Sub- 

 sequent dissection showed the lug ended at the 11th cross-bar. In 

 addition to this inflating effort, some specimens may be observed 



