216 Indian and Malayan Amphibia and Reptilia. [No. 3, 



quiries on this point when visiting the Nicobars, and was told the 

 same account. Subsequently, my collector heard the same from the 

 natives who procured for him nearly all the Trimeresuri which he 

 brought back. I believe that the species chiefly live here on insects. 

 It really seems that the size of the poison gland, and consequently 

 the quantity of secreted poison, varies according to the necessity 

 which arises for its use. In some specimens of Cantoris the gland is, 

 for instance, considerably smaller than in specimens of half the size 

 of the allied viridis at Moulmein, or carinatus from the Himalayas. 



I have lately examined about 70 or 80 specimens of Trimerestirus, 

 belonging to several species ; all these snakes are eminently 

 arboreal and generally found on high grass or on bushes. 



Theobald, in his Oat. of Eept. Asiatic Society's Museum, 

 pp. 75-76, described two apparently Indian species as T. Andersoni 

 and olseurus. The latter has entirely the type of the coloration of the 

 former, and is no doubt specifically identical with it. Both have 

 25 rows of strongly keeled scales, the former specimen has 182 

 ventrals and 56 subcaudals; the latter also 182 ventrals and 71 sub- 

 caudals, the third and fourth shields being entire. 



75. T. gramineus, Shaw, (G ii n t h. 1. cit. p. 388). 



Body grass green ; head moderately elongated and high ; form 

 19-21 rows of large elongated strongly carinated, pointed scales. 

 The species appears common in the Khasi hills and in Assam. 

 I have never observed it in the interior of the N. W. Hymalayas, 

 though I often procured T. carinatus, but Dr. G u n t h e r men- 

 tions it even from " Ladak." It would be interesting to know which 

 part of the country is alluded to, for Ladak proper has scarcely any 

 arboreal vegetation, except a few poplars and willows in the Indus 

 valley. I passed three times through Ladak (I mean the upper 

 Indus valley about Lei and the elevated country on both sides of it), 

 but I never saw yet a single snake, and the existence of a Trimere- 

 surus is of all the most improbable in a country situated above 

 10,000 feet, and subject to the most rigidly cold climate, so that 

 hardly any arboreal vegetation can thrive. 



T. Cantoris of B 1 y t h is, as Dr. G ii n t h e r rightly sup- 

 poses, quite a distinct species, and will be noticed further on. 



