230 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



encountered in burnt Kaing grass. In Russell's specimen the ventrals and 

 subcaudals were 174 + 148, in my Trichinopoly example they were 179 

 + 138, and in three Burmese specimens they were 176+146?, 176+153, 

 and 181 + 151. 



Variety rhodogaster. In Vol. XVIII., p. 919 of this Journal I mentioned a 

 new colour variety received by our Society from Shwebo, Upper Burma, which 

 differed from typica in that the belly between the ventral lateral stripes was 

 rose-pink. Since this I have received a similar specimen from Mr. W. A. 

 Jacob, I.F.S., from Jalpaiguri, only that the colour on the belly in this case is 

 a pinkish -buff. In the Shwebo example, the ventrals and subcaudals were 

 191+140? (tail broken), in the Jalpaiguri specimen which was a 9 

 201 + 148. 



Variety isabellinus. This variety is uniformly buff or khaki colour above, 

 and a similar colour only of a lighter shade on the belly between the two 

 lateral stripes. Like the other varieties it appears to be rare. Boulenger 

 (Catalogue 1896, Vol. Ill, p. 181) mentions it without specifying from where 

 he had received it. I obtained a 9 specimen from Paralai, near Valparai, 

 Anamallay Hills, last year, the only one I have ever seen. It was one of four, 

 the rest being of the typical variety. The ventrals and subcaudals were 

 168 + 136. These same shields in the other specimens were $ 173+154, 9 

 179 + ?, and 9 "• 169+140. I suggest for this the name isabellinus. The 

 species as a whole is distributed as follows. 



It does not occur in the Indus Basin, nor seemingly in the Ganges Basin 

 West of Purneah. (The solitary specimen recorded from Purneah which is 

 in the Indian Museum was purchased, and may have been introduced, as Indian 

 jugglers very frequently carry this snake about in their stock in trade). 

 South of the Ganges Basin it is more or less common, but especially so in 

 Southern India and Ceylon. On the Western side of Peninsular India it 

 has been obtained as far North as Mount Abu (Sclater. The specimen is in 

 the Indian Museum). On the East, Blanford (Jourl. Asiat. Society, Bengal, 

 Vol. XXXIX, p. 373) reported it common in Orissa and Bengal, and it would 

 appear to be so towards the Gangetic Delta, judging from specimens in the 

 Indian Museum. A specimen in the British Museum is recorded doubtfully 

 from Assam. In the Irrawaddy — Salween Basins — it is not a very uncommon 

 snake, and has been recorded as far North as Bhamo (Anderson, Ann. Zool. 

 Res Yunnan, p. 826). Further East it occurs as far as Indo-China, but is not 

 found anywhere in the Malayan Peninsula or Archipelago. 



F. WALL, C.M.Z.S., 



Majoe, I.M.S. 

 Chitral, dth February 1910. 



No. XXVII.— NOTE ON THE BREEDING OF ECHIS CARINATA. 

 In his article on Echis carinata, Major Wall tells us (Society's Journal, Vol. 

 XVIII, p. 537) that the records of the breeding of this snake are very meagre. 



