MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 535 
The eggs were white, with isomorphous poles, One was opened, and 
contained a small pinkish, gelatinous embryo, occupying a chamber embedded 
in the yolk substance, and lying in contact with the soft shell, 
The rest were placed under variable conditions to await incubation, but 
unfortunately all putrified, 
The parent during captivity occupied her time coiled on the floor, and 
never climbed into the branch given her for that purpose. 
She was most intrepid, hurling herself boldly with little or no hesitation 
at an aggressor, as I repeatedly elicited when putting my face near to the 
glass of the cage, or in any way molesting her ; nevertheless, she lives 
amicably now with several other snakes, ¢2z., Chrysopelea ornata, Dendrophis 
pictus, and Tropidonotus stolatus, 
Her method of striking is very remarkable, The anterior part of the body 
is thrown into transverse figure-of-eight loops, which overlap one another, 
causing a considerable retraction of the head which les centrally. The 
whole of the body sharing in this contortion is raised off the ground, and the 
snake poises thus, awaiting its opportunity, when the head is suddenly 
thrown vehemently forward as far as the loops by their straightening will 
permit, the jaws being widely opened in the act, 
By this means, this snake which measured three feet one inch, could 
strike at a distance of at least six or even eight inches, 
The first loop is sometimes thrown to the right and sometimes to the 
left, 
She is stiii in captivity, but, like all imprisoned animals, her incarceration, 
though only of one month’s duration, has subdued her spirit considerably, 
and I now have some difficulty in provoking her to adopt the attitude of 
menace. 
F, WALL, Carrt., IMS. 
RanGoon, May, 1900. 
No, VIII—-OCCURRENCE OF PODICEPS CRISTATUS IN ASSAM. 
On the 2Ist April, on the Juttiani jheel,a small piece of water between 
the Moran and Pathalipam Tea Estate in Dibrugarh, Mr, L. Ilbert shota 
fine specimen of a male Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus), It was first seen 
floating about on a comparatively open piece of water, off a small island of 
stunted trees, I have also heard of asecond bird having been shot close 
by ; of this I could get no further particulars than that “it was eaten by 
the cook!”’ This is the first record of the Crested Grebe in Assam proper, 
though Hume met with it in Manipur, 
E,C, STUART BAKER, F.Z.S8, 
DIBRUGARH, ASSAM, 
June, 1900. 
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