788 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



The eggs 13 in number, were deposited on the night of September ]st, 

 and the mother was found in the morning to have assumed guard over 

 them in the attitude shown in the photograph, nor did she, as far as I am 

 aware, ever leave them to take anything during the whole period of incuba- 

 tion. I have never seen these snakes drink anything, so that the want 

 of water would be no great privation on her part. In her own sluggish 

 way, s"he strongly resented any interference with her progeny, and for 

 fear of causing her to desert her eggs, and so bring this interesting 

 occurrence to a premature end, I did not attempt to examine them in 

 detail. 



On October 11th, she was dislodged from her post by a falling branch, 

 and did not attempt to regain it, but lay beside her eggs. On the follow- 

 ing day she left them entirely to eat a mouse and the same night cast her 

 skin, returning afterwards to her original spot. Whether or no this was in 

 order to continue her guard, I cannot say, as these snakes have the habit 

 of selecting a corner in their cage, to which they usually return time after 

 time, unless disturbed in any way. Six days later, that is 47 days after 

 deposition of the eggs, the first young one appeared and four more followed 

 within 48 hours. Of the remainder, three were shrivelled and dead, and 

 the others did not seem to have sufficient strength to break their envelope. 

 The mother took no notice of them. The young as soon as they emerged 

 were extremely lively, "rattling" their tails with great vigour, and striking 

 out viciously if interfered with. In length they varied from 148-162 mm., 

 and in colouration did not difi'er in any way from the adults. I could find 

 no trace of a foetal tooth. 



The eggs had the usual soft, white, parchment-like covering and were 

 bound very firmly to each other by some glutinous substance. Those I 

 measured were about 22 mm. broad by 30 long. 



One other record of the breeding habits of this viper was told me by a 

 European working in a locality where they are fairly common. He killed a 



