206 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
bifrenalis, Oligodon sublineatus, Vipera russellii, Tropidonotus 
stolatus, Tropidonotus asperrimus, and Helicops schistosus, though 
the list may vary greatly in different localities, Ancistrodon hypnale 
and Python molurus being both common in the northern jungles, 
while Trimeresurus trigonocephalus, so often met with in the 
Central Province, is rare in the north. I once encountered a 
young python at Yala, in the Southern Province, during the dry 
season, a most unlikely place to expect one, owing to the dry sandy 
condition of the district. It had probably worked its way down 
the river from the jungles further north. 
Among the less common varieties I have found several specimens 
of Dipsas forstenii and Dipsas barnesii round Anuradhapura, 
though I have never come across these in the Central Province or 
round Kurunegala, though at the latter place are some colonies of 
Tropidonotus plumbicolor. 
Snakes usually choose the type of country that suits their colour- 
ation, which country also suits their habits. Of all Ceylon snakes, 
the colour of Python molurus is the most inexplicable. It certainly 
blends with the sun and shadow effects of the jungle in a way which 
a uniform colouration would not do; but what is the reason for 
this protection. It is not hunted sufficiently to render protection 
from man necessary, and there are no other enemies to prey on it. 
When young, a python might be attacked by a mongoose, but when 
as small as all that a uniform colouration would not be conspicuous 
and would serve as a protection. Allowing that the python is 
“ ageressively ”’ coloured, it must be remembered that the latter is 
usually nocturnal in its habits, waylaying its prey after or about 
sunset, when its ‘‘sun and shadow ”’ colour would be of no avail. 
The only conclusion is that the python is not as nocturnal as is 
commonly supposed, and probably waylays its prey at about six 
o’clock in the evening, when in the remote jungles the deer and 
small game go down to the tanks and water-holes to drink, though 
in more civilized and open country the game confine their drinking 
to after dusk. 
Another common Ceylon snake, Lycodon aulicus, causes much 
needless alarm by its resemblance to Bungarus ceylonicus, and is 
much feared by the natives on that account, who mistake it for the 
deadly “krait,” as the Bungarus is called in India. Lycodon, 
however, is very common, while Bungarus is rare in Ceylon; the 
former being distinguished by its pear-shaped head and regular 
scaling, and the latter by its enlarged hexagonal vertebra. If the 
snake is over 26 inches long it is probably a Bungarus. Of the two 
species of Bungarus found in Ceylon, Bungarus ceylonicus is rare, 
while B. ceruleus is very rare indeed, and even of the former I have 
only obtained two specimens, both from Rangalla, in the Kandy 
District. Owing to their snake-eating propensities they probably 
keep to the mountainous districts, where there are many 
