304 



SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



attempt to attack me. They are naturally afraid of so large a 

 creature as a human being. While I was removing the ,young ones 

 to the camp the parent birds followed me for a short distance. 

 After I had killed and mounted the young ones I went in the after- 

 noon and cut the branch with the nest, and I then found both the 

 fantail flycatchers perched on the same branch near the nest and 

 shot them both, and thus secured the nest, young, and parent birds, 

 which are now mounted as near as possible to the natural surround- 

 ings for exhibition in the Bird Gallery of the Museum. 



Colombo Museum, September, 1912. H. F. FERNANDO. 



35. Distribution of Snakes in Ceylon. — Some months ago 

 Dr. Pearson, the Director of the Colombo Museum, asked me to 

 prepare a Paper on the distribution of snakes in Ceylon. As this 

 means a considerable amount of work and time, I am sending a 

 short preliminary note on the subject derived from my own observa- 

 tions only. In consequence the lists must not be taken to be by any 

 means complete. 



Anuradhapura, July 10, 1912. A. F. ABERCROMBY. 



Snake. 

 Zamenis mucosas. 



Do. fasciolatus. 

 Coluber Helena. 

 Dendropbis pictus. 



Do. bifrenalis. 



Do. caudolineolatus. 

 Tropidonotus ceylonensis. 



Do. plumbicolor. 



Do. asperrimus. 



Do. stolatus. 



Helicops schistosus. 

 Dipsas barnesii. 

 Do. ceylonensis. 

 Do. forstenii. 

 Dryophis mycterizans. 



Do. pulverulentus. 

 Chrysopelea ornata. 

 Cerberus rliynchops. 

 Hypsirhina enhydris. 

 Callophis trimaeulatus. 

 Bungarus ceylonicus. 



Do. cajruleus. 

 Naia tripudians. 

 Vipera russellii. 

 Echis carinata. 

 Ancistrodon hypnaie. 

 Trimeresurus trigonocephalus. 



