112 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



in Norway, and also that one gander paired with two geese, which is quite 

 opposed to what happens in a wild state, for they then pair and the gander 

 keeps with the goose the whole time she is sitting, and guards the brood 

 until they all take their departure at the end of September. Another fact 

 I should like to mention, and that is, Grey-lag Geese do not lay the number 

 of eggs that is commonly supposed. Six is the largest number that I have 

 ever seen ; four and five the usual number. I have heard of seven, but 

 have never seen so many, and I have had considerable experience in this 

 respect. — P. Musters (Annesley Park, Notts). 



REPTILIA. 



On the Habits of Macropisthodon rhodomelas.— The little harmless 

 Macropisthodon rhodomelas, Boulenger, is one of the commonest Snakes 

 in Singapore, and may often be seen creeping about in the grass in the 

 Botanic Gardens, in the early morning and evening. It is very con- 

 spicuous with its brick-red head and body and slaty-blue belly. On the 

 nape is a black V-shaped mark, edged with blue, and a black line runs down 

 the back. When attacked, and unable to escape, it sits up like a Cobra, 

 spreading out the skin on either side of its neck, and arching forwards its 

 head. This imitation of a Cobra might of itself deter enemies from 

 approaching it, but the reptile has a further protection, which I think has 

 not been hitherto recorded. When sitting up, Cobra-wise, it exudes from 

 a point on its neck just above the black mark, a number of drops of a thick 

 white liquid, in the position of the skull-like markings of the Cobra. A 

 Terrier attacking this Snake naturally bit and shook it by the most 

 prominent portion, namely, the arched neck ; and though he killed it, the 

 glandular exudation made him foam at the mouth for a considerable time, 

 and he was evidently very uncomfortable. The action on the mucous 

 membrane of the mouth was exactly like that produced by the acrid 

 secretion of a common Toad here, Bufo melanostictus, which no dog will 

 touch twice. I captured one of these Snakes and tasted the milky 

 exudation, but though it was bitter and unpleasant, it did not produce the 

 action on my salivary glands that it does on those of the dog. I do not 

 remember to have heard of any other Snake which repels its enemies by 

 its distastefulness ; and the boldness with which this Snake moves about in 

 open, exposed spots, is probably due to the possession of this form of 

 defence. I should add, that as all the Cobras in the south of the Malay 

 Peninsula are entirely black, and the only other hooded Snake, Ophio- 

 phagus, does not much resemble Macropisthodon in colouring, so that though 

 the latter may be taken for a poisonous hooded Snake under some circum- 

 stances, the resemblance is probably hardly sufficiently close to deceive the 

 sharp-eyed Serpent-Eagles which are always on the watch for prey. — 

 11. N. Ridley (Singapore). 



