A SURVEY SEASON IN THE NICOBAR ISLANDS. 
983. 
I have already pointed out the complete absence of indigenous mammalia 
from these islands, but this is almost if not quite compensated for by the super- 
abundance of reptiles. Though the actual number of species may be small in com- 
parison with the continental fauna, the primaeval forest is everywhere swarming 
with small lizards, most of which belong to the genus Callotes. >So numerous are 
these little animals that there seems to be one to almost every tree and, as one 
quietly strolls through the more open parts of the jungle or along the paths cut 
by the natives, there is a continuous rustle on either side among the dead and 
rotting leaves covering the ground as these little animals make a dash for the 
nearest tree trimk and run up it like a flash, usually keeping to the reverse side 
till well out of reach. All the examples that I succeeded in obtaining seem to 
belong to the species Callotes ophiomachus. A species of Skink was also seen but 
I was unable to obtain a specimen. Frequenting the jungle or the more open 
patches of bush were several species of snakes, chief among which were examples 
of the Pit-vipers of the genus Trimeresurus. Boulengcr* remarks “ This genus 
includes terrestrial and arboreal species, but the two divisions are so insensibly 
blended as to render their distinction almost impossible.” Even a single species 
may combine both arboreal and terrestrial habits and of the three specimens of 
Trimeresurus gramineus, which I saw, two were found on the ground, while 
the third was discovered by a lascar coiled round the extreme end of a branch 
of a tree and half hidden by the leaves about ten feet up. Natives are occasion- 
ally bitten by these snakes, but as a rule without a fatal result. One case, 
seen by me, had been bitten near the heel and the agent had already made free use 
of a Lauder- Brmiton lancet : for inehes round the whole skin was perforated w'itii 
needle pricks, like an old pin cushion ! Apart from considerable pain and local 
swelling, the man suffered no ill effects from either the bite or the treatment and 
in a few days was carrying on as usual. Andersonf reports finding two examples 
of Trimeresurus cantori (?) on Kachal, and one of these was captured alive and 
taken to Port Blair for experimental piu’poses. “ In spite of his enormous fangs 
and poisonous aspect,” this species, according to Anderson, “ is imable to inflict 
fatal bites on a guuiea pig.” A python has been recorded from some of these 
islands. Boden Kloss makes no mention of its occimrence in his book but several 
of the older vTiters have recorded its presence ; thus the Rev. P. BarbeJ in his 
notes on the Nicobar Islands remarks “ The Boa- con stricter is found also in the 
islands, particularly at Teressa,” and BuschJ also reports its occurrence on Kar 
Nicobar, where he saw one about 12 feet in length ; according to Boulenger the 
species is Python reticulatus. No example was seen during our stay in Nankauri 
Harbour and it seems to be absent from Nankauri and Camorta Islands. 
Before leaving the subject of the primaeval forest I must not omit to mention 
that ubiquitous pest, the mosquito. The jungle simply swarms with Slegomyia ; 
the vast majority belong to a single si)ecies characterised by the presence of a 
very distinct white spot on the dorsum of the thoracic region, a feature that is 
one of the characteristics of S. assamense which the Nicobarese specimens closely 
resemble. The moment one enters the jungle, and on calm days even when work- 
ing on the beach some yards away, hundreds of these insects attack one and only 
the prolific use of some highly pungent ointment serves to discourage their atten- 
tions. Although the Nicobars possess the reputation of being an intensely mala- 
rious locality, neither officers nor crew suffered unduly from this disease, probably 
because we were living out in the harbour on board ship. At certain season.s 
many of the natives are affected and the earrier seems to be Nyssomyzomyia 
ludlowi. 
• Boulenger, Fauna of British India “ Reptilia and Batrachia,” p. 425, 1901. 
+ Anderson, Census of India, Vol. Ill, Andamans and Nicobars, p. 1G4, Calcutta 
1903. 
t Selections from Records of the Government of India, Home Department, 
No. LXXVII, Calcutta, 1870. 
21 . 
