1905.] ON SNAKES FROM JAPAN AND THE LOO CHOO ISLANDS. 511 



it secures most of its food from the activity of the anemones in 

 capturing small organisms, these being afterwards abstracted by 

 the crab; (2) a possible protective influence against enemies 

 by the ejection of stinging- cysts as a result of the irritation of 

 the polypal tentacles. The only possible advantage to the 

 anemone would seem to be that of being carried about by the 

 crab, whereby it may be brought into contact with more prey, 

 against which is the disadvantage of having much of its food 

 abstracted l)y the crab. 



2. Notes on a Collection of Snakes from Japan and the Loo 

 Choo Islands. By Captain F. Wall, C.M.Z.S., Indian 

 Medical Service. 



[Received August 28, 1905.] 



I am indebted to Mr. Alan Owston, of Yokohama, for the 

 opportunity of examining a large numbei- of Snakes collected by 

 him in Japan and the Loo Olioo Islands. Of a total of 513 

 specimens, 461 are Land Snakes ; and the special interest of the 

 collection lies in the extensive and representative ai'ea in which 

 the specimens have been captured, for besides a large number 

 obtained from Japan itself and many from all the important 

 islands of the Loo Choo Group, examples have been obtained from 

 the two islands, Tanega and Yaku, interposed between Japan and 

 the Northern Loo Choos. The}^ are distributed as follows : — 



P-i 



Yezo. 

 1. Ancisirodon blomhoffii. 



Hondo. 



1. Trojndonottcs vibakari. 



2. ,, tigrinus. 



3. Dinodon jajjonicus. 



4. Coluber conspicillatus. 



5. ,, cUmacophorus . 



6. ,, qiuKh'ivirgatus. 



7. Ajicistrodon blomhoffii. 



Tanega Island. 



1. Tropidonotus tigrinus. 



2. Coluber conspicillatus. 



3. A7icistrodon blomhoffii. 



Yaku Island. 



1. Tropidonotiis tigrinus. 



2. Coluber quadrivirgatiis. 



3. Ancistrodon blomhoffii. 



4. Lachesis okinavensis. 



(1) 



(14) 

 (53) 



(1) 

 (18) 



(11) 

 (30) 



(38) 



(1) 

 (1) 

 (1) 



(2) 

 (2) 

 (1) 

 (1) 



y 165 



