NOTEa ON SEA SNAKES FROM MADRAS. 



60a 



03 



IJ.EMAUK8, 



July 



12 



2 

 6 



6 

 2 

 d 

 2 



2 

 2 



2 

 2 



267 

 241 



2-55 

 243 

 284 

 256 



One munenitl, 8 inches long, 

 lying full length in gullet 

 and stomach. 



257 



Contained 3 sucp, with em- 

 bryos {6m, 2 i2f, 2 



13i). 



Contained 2 sacs (4 inches 

 long) with embryos (2 

 14|?, 2 14i?). 



It will be observed from the above that the sexes are evenly balanced, 

 there being 18 males to 25 females. There are no dill'erences in the costil 

 rows or in the ventrals to distinguish the sexes. Both sexes grow to a 

 similar leni;lh. 



As regards the breeding this is the l3ast prolific of all the snakes I know 

 competing with Enhiiilri" ci/rius for this distinction. 



Some of the eloT.gate fish that I removed from the stomachs were sub- 

 mitted to Dr. J. R Henderson for identification, and were pronounced 

 murajnids with an element of doubt as to whether they were ( p tichtk>/8 

 Aoro (Ham : Buch.) or O orientaH^ (McC'UUand). 



Dr. Henderson tells me (he Tamils call this and other slender necked 

 sea snakes '•milactu kadiyan" literally " the pepper-grain-headed-biter" in 

 allusion to its small head like a peppercorn ^^railagu). 



