SNAKES OF CEYLON. 199 



found dead, having been strangled by the snake's tail. A 

 second chicken was attacked in like manner, and had he not 

 been relieved in time would have suffered the same fate. He 

 was bitten in several place?." 



A specimen I had in Bangalore was wonderfully active. 

 When teased it showed fight by erecting and throwing the 

 fore -part of the body into broad sigmoid curves, which it 

 straightened in the act of striking. It struck out repeatedly 

 and in an upward direction, much like the dhaman (Zaocys 

 mucosus). I noticed that prior to striking the neck was 

 markedly compressed, the spine in this region arched, and the 

 throat distinctly pouched, just, in fact, similar to what I have 

 seen in the dhaman under similar circumstances. When erect 

 the body scales anteriorly were separated, revealing the 

 pinkish or lilac colour of the intervening skin, and enhancing 

 the beauty of the reptile. 



Food. — Under natural conditions a decided partiality is 

 shown for mammalian fare, but lizards, frogs, and even snakes 

 are acceptable under press of hunger. Mr. Green has fre- 

 quently seen his captive specimens eat lizards, but he remarks 

 that in hunting lizards it is Very inexpert, and repeatedly fails 

 to effect a capture. As soon as the lizard stopped the snake 

 lost interest in it, and appeared attracted by moving objects 

 only. Mr. Millard writing to me some time ago said that a 

 specimen in Bombay refused lizards and frogs, but took a 

 mouse that was offered at once. One voracious individual 

 tried on two occasions to eat snakes with which it was incar- 

 cerated. Once the species was Chrysopelea ornata, and once 

 Dendrophis pictus. Mr. Green remarks that he has several 

 times observed this species capture a small skink. " On one 

 occasion the Coluber had captured a lizard, and was tightly 

 constricting it, the whole body of the snake being twisted into 

 a complicated knot. It commenced work upon the tail, which 

 became detached fromthe body of the lizard and was promptly 

 swallowed. ' ' Miss Montgomery wrote to me of one as follows : 

 "It was coiled round a rat in the butler's house where the root 

 and wall join. It fell with its prey at his feet in the shape of a 

 ball. The butler killed the two at one blow. The rat had 



