188 OPHIDIA. 



black : a yellow band commences from the labials, runs along each side of the front part of 

 the body, and is continued as an interrupted series of transverse spots to the vent ; the spots 

 sometimes extend across the belly ; a yellow band along each side of the tail, reaching across 

 the vent. 



It is very abundant on the Pulney Hills, at elevations of from 7000 to 8000 feet. A female 

 which I have examined is 8^ inches long, and has three eggs in its oviduct, each of wliich is 

 9 lines long. 



We have given on Plate XVII. two views of the liead and the side view of the tail, of the 

 natural size. 



UROPELTIS. 



Uropeltis (jiart.), Cuvier. 



Tail cylindrical, obliquely truncated as if severed by a knife ; the truncated 

 portion flat, scaleless, rough. Head conical ; nasal sliields forming a suture 

 together behind the rostral ; supraorbital and postocular confluent into one 

 shield. 



Ceylon. 



Only one species is known. 



Uropeltis gbandis. 



Uropeltis pliilippinus, Cuv. Regne Anim. Dum. ^" Bibr. vii. p. IGl. pi. 59. fig. 3. Peters, Uropelt. 



p. 20. Tennent, Nat. Hist. Ceyl. p. 302, c. fig. 

 saffragamus, grandis, et pardalis, Kelaart, Prodr. ii. pp. 15 & 16. 



Snout pointed; rostral convex, produced and tapering behind, nearly as long as the 

 vertical. Scales in twenty-three longitudinal series on the neck, in twenty-one in the middle 

 of the body ; ventrals 138-148 ; seven or eight pairs of bifid subcaudals. The circumference 

 of the thickest (anterior) part of the body is one-seventh of the total length. The adult is 

 rmiform bro\A-u above ; the lateral scales and ventral shields brown, with a broad yellowish 

 margin. Young specimens sometimes with numerous ii-regular white spots. Another half- 

 grown specimen is nearly uniform brown above and white below. 



This snake is found near Adam's Peak and Matura, and is rare ; it attains to a length of 

 20 inches, being the largest species of this family. 



