127 



harmless snakes, whilst the venomous colubrine snakes, 

 such as the cobra and the hamadryad, are perfectly- 

 oviparous. Amongst viviparous snakes may be mentioned 

 the sea and fresh-water snakes (at least most of the latter) ; 

 the new English snake Coronella loevis and some tree-snakes 

 are also ovoviviparous. Mr. Theobald records a specimen 

 of Tragops fronticinctus containing " seven foetuses" each 

 one-sixth pf its length. 



The time of laying varies in different snakes, as will be 

 seen by the following examples : — * 



The cobra, at Bangalore, is impregnated about January ; 

 the eggs are hatched in May and up to the beginning of 

 June. As many as 19 young will be found in a brood. 



A Python molurus in the Paris Zoological Gardens, was 

 impregnated in January and February, laid 15 eggs on May 

 6th, of which eight were hatched on July 3rd. — (Quniher.) 



Ptyas mucosus found containing 13 eggs, May, Bangalore. 



Do. do. 9 do. do. 



Do. 12 eggs hatcted Sept. do. 



Tropidonotus quincunciatus lays Jany. & Feby., Rangoon. 

 Tropidonotus stolatus found containing eggs, May do. 



Do. do August, Bangalore. 



Tropidonottis suhminiatus do. Nov., Rangoon, (Theobald). 



Tragops prasinus do. March, do. {Theobald). 



Dipsas multimaculata do. July, do. 



Hypdrhma mhydris do. March, do. {Theobald). 



Trimesurus carinatus do. Dec, do. {Theobald). 



The eggs are of the regular ellipsoid form of a silk cocoon, 

 the shell being of a tough parchment-like material. In a 

 large Ptyas 'mucosus they were two inches long and 1| inch 

 in the shoii; diameter. The eggs are usually laid in a 

 hidden spot, such as a hollow tree, where some decomposing 



* I regret that the loss of a note-book containing the observa- 

 tions made during my stay in Burma prevents my giving more 

 complete information on this point. 



