1862.] ON THE INCUBATION OF PYTHON SEB^. 365 



reproduce those they have just shed ; but it strikes me the horns will 

 only consist of short double-pronged antlers, as in the Hog Deer. 



On the lower range of hills, varying from 1000 to 5000 feet, the 

 Cervus swinhoii maintains its ground ; and as those hills chiefly 

 occur in the northern portion of the island, its lot falls among an- 

 other but closely allied race of savages. The Kwei-ying are a finer 

 race than their brethren, the Kalees of the south, but they are equally 

 savage. By them the same kind of barter is carried on with the 

 Chinese colonists, and, as far as I could learn, the same mode of 

 hunting deer. The country where this deer is found is also densely 

 covered with bush, in which the savage lurks with his matchlock, 

 jealous of every intruder on his hunting-haunts. Like all wild races, 

 especially of the Malay type, he is very treacherous, and never to 

 be depended on unless you can carry with you sufficient means to 

 enforce freedom from molestation. One hour he will profess for 

 you everlasting friendship, and the next, on some trifling caprice, aim 

 a bullet at your head. The Chinese are very fearful of the abori- 

 gines, and can rarely be got to cross the boundary-line ; and the 

 savages have such frequent feuds amongst themselves that, in travelling 

 through their territory, friendship professed for one clan may cost 

 you your hfe at the hands of the next you go amongst. One has on 

 such journeys so much to do with diplomacy, intrigue, and bribery, 

 that, apart from collecting, the incessant toil and expense make tra- 

 velling in the wild mountainous interior of Formosa quite an arduous 

 undertaking. 



5. Notes on the Incubation of Python seb^, as observed 

 IN the Society's Gardens. By P. L. Sclater, M.A., 

 Ph.D., F.R.S., Secretary to the Society. 



The fact of a specimen of the West African Python {Python sehce) 

 having deposited eggs and commenced incubation upon them, in the 

 Society's Gardens, at the ' beginning of the present year, has been 

 already mentioned at one of the Meetings of this Society by Dr. A. 

 Giinther* ; and many notices on the same subject have appeared in 

 various newspapers and periodicals, scientific and unscientific. Yet I 

 think that such an important event ought not to escape record in the 

 Journal of the Society, and I have therefore drawn up the following 

 short statement of the principal facts of the case for publication in 

 the 'Proceedings.' 



A pair of the West African Python {Python sebcB) have for some 

 time occupied the large compartment in the middle of the northern 

 side of the Reptile-house. The female was received by the Society 

 in 1849, and has therefore been about thirteen years in the Gardens ; 

 the male was purchased on the 18th of April, 1859, since which time 

 he has been in company with the female. The female is one of the 

 largest Pythons we have ever had, measuring about 22 feet in length. 

 The male is of smaller dimensions, measuring about 14 feet in length. 



* See anteti, p. 1. 



