520 



DR. W. A. CUNNINGTON ON THE 



a snake allied to the cobras was taken swimming in the lake 

 during the Third Tanganyika Expedition. The five species* 

 may be enumerated as follows : — 



1. Tropidonotus olivaceus. 



This is a well-known and common water-snake which is 

 distributed over nearly the whole of Tropical Africa. It has also 

 been recorded from Victoria Nyanza (180, p. 265) and Edward 

 Nyanza (192, p. 67), and ma}^ very well occur in most of the other 

 big lakes. 



2. Glypholycus hicolor. 



Brought from Tanganyika by Hore, one of the earliest 

 collectors, and also recently obtained from the same locality. In 

 contrast to the preceding, this form has been found nowhere else. 

 Tlie genus was established by Giinther (93, p. 629) to receive this 

 species, but a second species has since been found in Nj^nsalandf. 



3. Grayia ornata. 



A Tropical African snake, distributed in tlie west from the 

 CamerooDS to Angola and extending eastwards to the Uelle and 

 Ituii. Recently recorded from Albertville on the western shore 

 of Tanganyika. 



4. Grayia tholloni. 



Known from the Congo region, the Upper Nile, and the 

 western shore of the lake. 



5. Boulengerina stormsi. 



This snake, which belongs to the same group as the cobras, is 

 probably highl}^ poisonous, but not strictly aquatic in character. 

 The species was described from a single specimen (a young one, 

 24 cm. long) discovered by Storms on the western shore of 

 Tanganyika. A second specimen, which was obtained by my 

 expedition, was taken actually swimming in the lake. It is in 

 all probability adult and measures 125 cm. This form has not 

 been obtained elsewhere. 



From an examination of this list it will be seen that more is 

 known of the snakes of Tanganyika than of those of the other big 

 African lakes, from which indeed there are but two definite 

 records — to wit, those of Trojndonotus olivaceus in Victoria 



* For particulars relating to these snakes, as also synonymy and means of 

 identification, consult Boulenger (34 : 35). 



t The Nyasaland species of Glypholymis — G. wliytii — is also a trub' aquatic 

 snake, and may quite well Qccvu' inNyasa, although it has not hitherto been reported 

 from that lake. 



