Tho twelfth family are the Dipsades, or Dipsa (lithe. All the Indian species with a grooved fang behind ; and several, moreover, with fangs in front. The Indian dipsades aro nocturnal tree snakes, with a vertical pupil, a short, broad head, and compressed, elongate body.
The thirteenth family are Lycodontes, or Lyco dontidx. Lycodon aulicus is one of the most common snakes of the Indian continent and Ceylon ; it does not extend northwards to China, and becomes scarcer on the coasts of the south eastern parts of Iudia. It occurs in only a few of the islands—in the Philippines and in Timor.
The Amblycephalielx, or Blunt - beads, is the fourteenth. Amblycephalus boa is one of this family. The head of this singular snake resembles much that of a mastiff, the lips being arched and tumid ; it climbs with great facility, frequenting the roofs of the huts of the natives in pursuit of its food, which consists of insects. It belongs properly to the fauna of the Archipelago, inhabit ing Java, Borneo, and the Philippine Islands. Cantor found it at Penang. It does not appear to be common anywhere. It readily bites ; and attains to a length of 3 feet, the Mil being one th ird.
Rock Snakes, or Pythonidx, are a fifteenth family. The rock snakes aro found in the hottest parts of Africa, Asia, the East Indian Archipelago, and Australia. They climb as well as they swim ; most of them prefer the neighbourhood of water. This family contains the largest snakes. Only one genus, the python, is found in British India.
Python reticulatus aud P. molurus, two species of Indian rock snak es, are among the largest of living reptiles. Of snakes, only their African congeners and the American Eunectes mutinus can be placed beside them. Their dimensions and their strength, however, have been much exaggerat,ed ; specimens of 18 to 20 feet in length are very rare, although isolated statements of the occurrence of individuals which measured 30 feet are on record and worthy of credit. Rock snakes from 15 t,o 20 feet long have the thickness of a man's thigh, and will easily overpower a small deer, a sheep, or a good sized dog. The rock snakes must attain to a c,on
siderable age. A Python reticulatus lived in the menagerie of the Zoological Society of London for 15 years ; when brought to England it was about 11 feet long, and in ten years it had attained to a length of 21 feet, after which no further growth could be observed. The males reinain smaller than the females. • The rock snakes will pro pagate iu captivity,—the Indian P. molurus having bred in Paris, and the African P. seb, in London. In both cases the eggs were incubated by the leather, and in the former successfully hatched.
Python reticula.tus, Gray. It often takes ita abode in outhouses, preying at mght,.
and is thug uaeful in deatroying vermin, although plunder is occasioeally committed in poultry yard& When kept in captivity, it in of import ance to supply it with a small tank of water, in which it will frequently remain for days. Individuals of 16 feet in length are not of rare occurrence, and some about 30 feet long are on record. This speciem of the pythons of South-Eastern Aaia is very numerous in the 'Malayan hills and valleys, feeding upon quadruped.% and birds. Dr. Montgoinerie had seen in George Pepang, a young one which the inhabitants suffered to retain unmolested possession of the rice stores, in order to secure them against the ravages of nits.
Python molurus, Gray. The ground colour is light greyish-brown. This python, commonly known under the name of rock snake, and by some misnamed boa, is almost peculiar to the continent of India. Common in the Southern Peninsula and in Bengal, it extends northwards into the sal forest at the foot of the Himalaya, and probably to Southern China.
The Herpetodryas oxyeephalus of Reinwardt has in a remarkable degree the power of laterally compressing the neck and the anterior part of the body, when the greyish-blue skin becomes visible between the separated scales. In such state of excitement, it raises nearly the anterior third vertically from the ground, continues fixed during several seconds with vibrating tongue, and bites. It then throws itself down, to rise to a renewed attack.