SNAKES OF CEYLON. 293 



coloured rays are absorbed. The blueness of the sky, the sea, 

 and substances like sulphate of copper, &c, is similarly 

 produced. 



Variety (b) fuscus (Dumeril and Bibron) : In this 

 variety the green is replaced by a sombre garb of khaki or 

 olive -brown. 



Variety (c) tephrogaster (Wall) : Similar to typicus, but 

 with the belly between the two lateral stripes cinereous-gray. 



Variety (d) rhodogaster (Wall) : Similar to the last, only 

 with rose or pale buff between the ventral stripes. 



Variety (e) rhodonotus (Wall) : A specimen in Mr. Drum- 

 mond-Hay's collection is a beautiful rose-pink dorsally with 

 pinkish-buff ventrally. This was taken at Galatura estate 

 (500 to 1,000 feet). Mr. Drummond-Hay assures me this 

 colour is not the result of the preservative in which it was 

 placed, and that it is almost the same colour as in life, but 

 perhaps not so bright. 



Habits. — (a) Haunts: It is most frequently met with on 

 low bushes and scrub, but will ascend trees. I have known 

 it encountered by toddy collectors in high coconut palms 

 on more than one occasion. It usually reclines on the top- 

 most boughs of bushes, and in such a situation would gene- 

 rally pass for a green twig, and escape notice. Doubtless, 

 many a bird and lizard is seized before being aware of its 

 captor's presence in such a situation. In the vivarium it 

 seems disinclined to move much, but all collect together, and 

 recline in a tangled mass with their forebodies usually free, 

 either motionless or gently swaying. 



(b) Disposition : By some it is reputed to be a very gentle 

 snake (Boulenger, Flower, Malcolm-Smith, &c), and Fer- 

 guson implies the same thing when he says that in Travancore 

 it is the only snake the ordinary native is not afraid to handle. 

 His next sentence, however, seems to contradict this when 

 he says : " Boys often bring them in, having first taken the 

 precaution to tie up the head in a bundle of rags." I have 

 had them frequently brought to me in the same manner, and 

 there is no doubt this is due to the vicious nature of the snake. 

 I have kept it in captivity in numbers, and when freshly 

 caught, I find it not only menaces, but repeatedly strikes 



