1894.] OPHTDIA or TRINIDAD, E. W. I. 51 1 



minutely punctured with black. It much resembles the trailing 

 branches of the shrubs which it rests upon. It has a peculiar 

 habit of simulating the swaying of the branches under a gentle 

 breeze, and it is only when one catches sight of the brilliant eyes that 

 one realizes he is gazing at a beautiful tree-snake. When about 

 to seize its prey, which consists principally of lizards, this reptile 

 projects its head iu the direction of the unfortunate saurian, at 

 which it stares intently for a few minutes, advancing at the same 

 time — almost imperceptibly — and sometimes imparting to its head 

 and neck the sw'aying motion above referred to. It next puts out its 

 long, brown, yellow-margined tongue once or twice. Just when 

 about to seize the lizard it pauses and puts its tongue out, points 

 together, stiffly standing upwards, sometimes at nearly right angles 

 to the snout. After resting a few seconds, often half a minute in 

 this attitude, it darts forward and catches the lizard usually by the 

 middle of the body and draws back again. Its actions up to this 

 point are so deliberate that the observer is always surprised at the 

 sudden movement, and we have never been able to follow it well. 

 One second the snal<e is simply watching the lizard, and the next 

 he has it in his mouth ; how it got there, one can hardly tell, so 

 rapidly is it done. The lizard is now suspended in mid air. The 

 snake holds its victim in this position for some time, and then 

 slowly working its jaws towards the head swallows it. These 

 snakes are frequently 4| feet in length, and, except when distended 

 with eggs or after having devoured an unusually large morsel, 

 are rarely thicker than an ordinary lead-pencil. They seldom 

 attempt to bite, and never inflict a wound. They are called 

 by the Creoles " Liguis," a corruption of "Eigoise"or "horse- 

 whip." They are exceedingly difficult to observe when wld and 

 often disappear in the most mysterious and uncanny manner 

 when an attempt is made to catch them, so stealthily rapid are they 

 in their movements. 



DiPSAS CENCnOA. 



This is another very peculiar and at the same time extremely 

 beautiful serpent. It is often 3| feet in length and even longer. 

 Its triangular-shaped body is marked with a series of saddle-like 

 dark spots on a light-coloured ground. Its head is as blunt and 

 round as the Horsewhip's is acuminate. Its eyes are very promi- 

 nent. The Dipsas is even thinner than the Horsewhip, and on 

 account of its attenuated appearance and its markings, which 

 somewhat resemble those of LacJiesis muta, is known by the Creole 

 labourers as " Mapepire corde violon," or " Fiddlestring Mapepire." 

 It is very inoffensive, and lives almost entirely upon the tiny Gona- 

 todes vittatus, which frequents old walls, trunks of large trees with 

 a rough bark, and tree-parasites and orchids. The growers of the 

 latter plants frequently find a Dipsas amongst their treasures. In 

 captivity it is of a most retiring disposition, during the daytime 

 coiling its great length in a little heap in one corner of its cage. 

 At night it moves about in a tolerably lively and a very graceful 



