82 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
fined it in a large cage. Tempting morsels such as live rats, 
pigeons, etc., were offered, but refused. He died at the end of 
nine months, having eaten nothing during that time. 
So far as the experience of the writer goes all venomous 
snakes are born alive—the eggs being hatched in the body of 
the parent, while non-venomous—such as the carer, lay the 
eges. 
The carpet snake lays from thirty to forty eggs—all con- 
nected like sausages by a skin. A calabash on a tree is a 
favourite nesting place. ‘The mother snake is always in attend- 
ance. The time required for incubation I don’t know. 
All other snakes known to the writer with the exception of 
the deadly “bandy-bandy” are generally daylight travellers. But 
day or night is all one to the carpet snake. He does not, how- 
ever, travel very far at any time. If the blacks—in the old 
days when there were blacks about—saw one and did not hap- 
pen to want it just then they would go back days afterwards 
and get it. They would say “That pfellow sit down that place” 
(he lives there). 
Although this snake is such a sleepy fellow he can put up 
a terrible fight when attacked. For though not venomous yet 
with his enormous jaws and double rows of long hooked teeth 
he gives a severe bite. And when he gets a hold never thinks 
of letting go. The gamest bush dog will decline the scrap 
single handed. There are many tall stories told of the size of 
snakes, some claiming to have seen carpet snakes up to eigh- 
teen and even to twenty feet in length. But the largest the 
writer ever met with during more than half a century’s experi- 
ence in the bush was thirteen and a half feet. 
All snakes are said to grow larger in North Queensland 
than with us. ; 
The carpet snake would be a very useful resident in rabbit- 
infested country could he be induced to settle there as the bur- 
rows would be no protection from him, and half-a-dozen bun- 
nies would just about make a nice breakfast for him. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
Some brilliant insects. At the March meeting Mr. L. Gal- 
lard exhibited three species of lepidoptera to show their bright 
colouration. Agirista agricola, which is closely allied to our 
common grape caterpillar, and is one of our most beautiful day 
moths. The larvae feed on different wild vines in. the Gosford 
district. 
