THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 435 



Identification. — Given a normal specimen identification is easy. 

 A large majority of specimens will be found to have the 3rd, 4th 

 and 5th labials entire, and all touching the eye. In addition there 

 is nearly always a complete row of marginals after the 2nd infra- 

 labial, which cuts off the subsequent infralabials from the margin 

 of the lip. Unfortunately in many specimens certain of the head 

 shields are subject to great variation. Thus only two labials may 

 touch the eye, and either the 3rd, 4th, or 5th or all, may be divided. 

 Rarely specimens have a single cuneate marginal between the 3rd 

 and 4th infralabials, or a complete row after the 3rd infralabial. 

 The ranges of costal rows and ventrals are considerable. These 

 facts make identification in some cases difficult, in fact many new 

 species have been created by various authors, on individuals that 

 present a number of costals or ventrals in excess of the previously 

 recorded ranges cr that present unusual characters in their head 

 shields. Where only two labials touch the eye, the costals and 

 ventrals must be counted, and these may come within the ranges 

 of the following species, nigrocinctus, diadema, mamillaris, and 

 ccerulescens . An examination of the maxillary teeth is then called 

 for, and this is best left to an expert. In nigrocinctus there are 2 

 teeth behind the fangs, in cyanocinctns 6 to 8 (usually 7), in 

 diadema 8 to 10, in mamillaris 9 to 10, and in cwrulescens 13 to 

 17. 



The species is, however, more frequently confused with spiralis 

 (Shaw) (vel brugmansi (Boie) ), than with any other species. 

 The most important points of difference between these two are, 

 that in spiralis the scale rows at the greatest girth range from 

 29 to 36, whereas in cyanocinctus they range from 38 to 49. 

 Further the scale rows in spiralis are usually only 2 to 6 more 

 numerous at the greatest girth than in the forebody, whereas in 

 cyanocinctus, they are usually from 8 to 16 more numerous. 



Habits. — Nothing special has been recorded about the habits 

 of this snake in spite of its being such a common species. 



Breeding. — A small specimen only 2 feet 11 inches long, in the 

 Indian Museum, I found gravid. The date of its capture is not 

 recorded. It contained 3 foetuses, varying in length from 1 foot 2 

 inches to 1 foot 3 inches. 



Another gravid specimen captured in the Bombay harbour, I 

 found contained 9 young. The parent measured 4 feet 4 inches, 

 and the young of which, 4 were <s , and 5 $ , varied from 12 to 13 

 inches in length. The date of capture is not known. 



Fayrer, in his Thanatophidia, mentions a gravid specimen from 



Puri (date not recorded) in which Mr. Stewart found sacs of the size 



of hen's eggs, containing 16 very young embryos. A ^ gravid 



female 33 inches long, captured in the Chantabum River, Siam, in 



15 



