fi4 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Thirst. — It is evidently a thirsty reptile, and, in consequence, 

 probably is often impelled towards water for this reason. 

 The dam in Paris in 1841, after accomplishing her maternal 

 duties and successfully launching forth her brood, drank 

 eagerly, swallowing some two tumblerfuls of water, and the 

 young too were observed to slake their thirsts. In drinking 

 it does not fill the mouth, and throw back the head like birds, 

 nor does it protrude the tongue and lap, but puts its mouth 

 to the water, and imbibes like a mammal, the gulping move- 

 ments of the throat being plainly visible. 



Breeding. — (a) The Sexes: I know of no difference in the 

 sexes, except that in the male the claw-like terminations of 

 the rudimentary hind limb are relatively larger than in the 

 female. It is not kno^vn whether one sex attains to a greater 

 length than the other. 



(&) Method of Reproduction: The python is oviparous, and 

 many brooding dams have been reported upon. In all cases 

 the dam has shown great soUcitude for the fate of her eggs. 



After deposition the female coils herself around them, and 

 has been observed so in captivity, and in a state of nature. 

 As far as I am aware she appears to be generally alone during 

 this period. I have only once heard of her mate being seen 

 anywhere near her. I have several records of pythons found 

 lying up with eggs in jungle and being killed, and with one 

 exception no mention has been made of another snake being 

 found close at hand. The eggs are laid sometimes more or 

 less in the open, the dam proving rather a conspicuous object 

 to the shikari. Sometimes the female retires into a hole in 

 a tree, beneath a fallen tree, or in a termite's nest, one in the 

 latter situation having been found near Colombo some years 

 ago. Several interesting observations have been made 

 during the period of incubation. The dam's temperature 

 during the event, which happened in Regent's Park in 1881, 

 was recorded several times, and compared with that of a male 

 in an adjoining cage. It was always rather higher being 

 about 1-4° to .3° Fahrenheit in excess of the male.* In this 

 case the female having once settled herself around the eggs 



* P. Z. S., 1881, p. Sfid. 



