THE TWO-HEADED SNAKE. 
265 
As nothing has as yet been recorded, that I am 
aware of, concerning the early stages of this reptile’s 
existence, the discovery of its egg and of the pro- 
duction of the young possesses some interest. On 
the 3rd of September, I found in the secluded woods 
of Auld Ayr, behind Bluefields, an egg to which I 
was a stranger. I was out shooting with my negro 
servants, when we heard in these lonely woods what 
we supposed to be the voice of the Ringtail Pigeon. 
As this fine and rare bird is said to resort to the 
smoke that ascends from any fire that may be kindled 
within its haunts, for the relief which is thus afforded 
to it from the incessant torment of the musquitoes, 
we determined to make a fire, in order to get a shot. 
The lads had collected some deserted nests of Ter- 
mites for fuel, and on breaking them up, I discovered 
in one of the cavities an egg of a long-oval form, and 
of a clear buff hue, with a stiffly membranous integu- 
ment. The breaking of the surrounding mass had 
ruptured also the egg, and disclosed a young Ty- 
phlops, which writhed nimbly about, and soon crawled 
from its prison, to which it remained attached, how- 
ever, by the vitellus. It was very active, fully formed, 
similar in colour and appearance to the adult, except 
that the inferior surface was tinged with a delicate 
rosy hue. The eyes were very plainly discernible, 
though in the adult I had searched for these organs 
in vain. The frequent protrusion of its forked 
tongue gave it a snake-like character, which its 
general aspect did not possess. It was four and a 
half inches in length, and one eighth of an inch in 
diameter ; depressed in form as the adult. The tail 
