80 COLLECTION OF OPHIDIA IN MUSEUM 
Hemirhagerrhis Kelleri (I 100). — The 3rd, 4th, and 5th 
labials enter the eye. Ventrals are 188 as against 147-173 ; 
caudals 57 as against 61-78. 
Rham'phio'pliis oxyrhynchus. — In the Catalogue of Snakes 
110 is given as the maximum for caudals, whereas two of our 
specimens have 117 and 116 respectively. 
Psammo'phis brevirostris (Short-snouted Sand Snake). — 
Ventrals given as 153-163 and caudals as 64-95 should be 
extended, 153-181 and 57-95. 
Dispholidus tyyus (Boomslange or Tree Snake). — Another 
of the thirty-three South African snakes whose range extends 
to B.E.A. The very fine series collected by Mr. Turner from 
one locality show well the encroaching of black spots on the 
green scales, so that the same species may have a vivid green 
or jet black phase. 
Micrelajps vaillanti. — The type, locality, and recognised 
habitat of this rare snake is Somaliland ; unfortunately no 
data accompanied the specimen which I found at the Museum ; 
it has 23 ventrals in excess of the maximum. 
Dendrasyis Jamesonii (Mamba). — I 195 is the head referred 
to by Sir F. J. Jackson in the Journal, Vol. IV, No. 7. Four 
of the Kakumega specimens are much lower than the minimum 
number of 99 caudals. 
Bitis arietans (Puff Adder). — There seem to be three colour 
phases — a brick-red, a nut-brown, and a lemon-yellow. The 
eggs (I 398) were taken from a female killed on West Kenia ; 
I removed 24 eggs from the right ovary, 14 from the left. 
Atractasyis irregularis (Burrowing Adder). — Scales in 23 
instead of 25 rows. Caudals 30 as against the maximum of 27. 
Species still Required for the Museum Collection 
Mr. Hobley has asked me to add a note on collecting snakes. 
They may be readily killed by a blow across the back ; the 
head should on no account be struck, and the less it is battered 
the better the specimen. Unfortunately, many persons mistake 
the after-death muscular contortions as signs of vitality, and 
keep hammering away till there is little left to move. If 
caught alive, snakes will readily succumb to chloroform. 
