No. 28. 



ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINaS 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.^^ 



March 6th, 1908. 



Charles S. Tomes, Esq., F.R.S,, Yice-Pi-esident, 

 in the Chair. 



Mr, G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S. , Y.P.Z.S., exhibited a specimen 

 of Eana goliath, obtained by Mr. G. L. Bates at Efulen in South 

 Cameroon, This frog measured 10 inches from snout to vent and 

 was much larger than any frog hitherto known, 



Mr, R, Shelford, M.A., O.M.Z.S., read a note on " flying " 

 snakes, and raade the following remarks : — The power of " iiying " 

 has been recorded by natives to be possessed by three species of 

 snakes in Borneo, viz, Chrysopelea ornata, C. chrysochlora (Opis- 

 thoglypha), and DendropMs pictus (Aglypha). All three species 

 have the ventral scales with a suture or hinge-line on each side ; 

 by means of a muscular contraction these scales can be drawn 

 inwards, so that the whole ventral surface of the snake becomes 

 quite concave and the snake itself may be compared to a rod of 

 bamboo bisected longitudinally. By experiments on G. ornata it 

 was seen that the snake when falling from a height descended 

 not in writhing coils, but with the body held stiff and rigid, and 

 that the line of the fall was at an angle to a straight line f i-om the 

 point of departure to the ground. It is highly probable that 

 the concave ventral surface of the snake helps to buoy it up 

 in its fall ; it can readily be shown that a longitudinally bisected 

 rod of bamboo falls more slowly than an undiA'ided rod of equal 

 weight. 



* This Abstract is published by the Society at 3 Hanover Square, London, 

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