MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. wae 189° 
No, XVI.—INCUBATION OF A BROOD OF ZAMENIS MUCOSUS. 
- About 7 a. m. on the 9th of December, 1899, we received a clutch of 
thirteen eggs (two already hatched) of Zamenis mucosus. We placed the: 
eggs in a prune bottle, so that the Hatching process might be minutely 
observed. 
During the course of the day (December 9th) four more eggs hatched, and 
some two or three others showed cracks at one pole. The remainder hatched 
on the i0th December, and it would appear that daylight provided a necessary 
stimulus to their activity, since no egg was hatched between 5 p.m, on the 
9th and 7-30 a.m, on the 10th, Immediately after an egg was cracked, air 
bubbles were observed to escape, and the rostral of the young snake present- 
ed, but the creature appeared to be in no hurry to emerge, remaining in this 
position sometimes fora quarter ofanhour, In from # to # hour the head 
and neck were protruded, and then some gradually worked their way out, 
while others withdrew for a time wholly into their prison, 
The time occupied in emerging thus varied, the quickest exit took two hours, 
and the longest eight hours, One egg, sound at 3 p.m, on the 9th, was 
observed cracked at one pole at 3-25 p.m., the head and two or three inches 
of the snake was clear at 4-30 p.m., but at 5-30 p.m, the hatchling had 
withdrawn, and did not make its exit until 7-30 a.m. on the morning of 
the 10th, 
The eggs were pure glossy enamel white, and were cemented into a cluster, 
the adhesive points being inconstant in situation (either lateral or polar), 
The length varied from 13” to 12”; the breadth from 1” to 13”, 
The openings were stellate or linear, were in a sub-polar situation, and 
varied in the former shape in size from 2” to 3”, and in the latter were about 
3", Unlike the eggs of most birds, the two poles were alike, being domed to 
an equal width and shape, 
The young were very lively after birth, and prettily marked, and when 
three or four had collected were removed and put into spirit, These were 
individually examined later, and the departures they exhibited from Boulan- 
ger’s description, with other remarks may be of interest, 
Length—143” to 153”, 
The Temporals—In one specimen were 2+1, (R. & L.) 
The Labials—In one specimen 9,(5 and 6 touching the eye), (R. & Lp) 
The Ant, Chins—In one case on one side came into contact with six lower 
labials, 
Colour—Bluish or greenish-olive, some scales edged whitish, others darkish ; 
the former arranged in such a way as to form fairly clear light transverse 
bands or semi-bands, 
Each band is formed by a Tae thrown upwards from the belly ; these limbs 
usually meet their fellows to form complete bands, but sometimes fail to 
meet and then end in bulbous extremities on the vertebral region. 
