ON THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 623 



of the banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus), and Tropidonotus piscator 

 as well as in T. stolatus. Von Linstow farther states that it occurs 

 in snakes inhabiting South America. A third parasite infesting 

 stolatus is a larval form of tapeworm, which though sent to Pro- 

 fessor Von Linstow he could not further determine than that it 

 was a species of Pterocereus. These parasites are white, and flat- 

 tened, and locate themselves usually beneath the lining membrane 

 of the abdominal cavity, but sometimes beneath the dorsal integu- 

 ment, where they form flat blister-like swellings. When these are 

 cut into, the parasite is found in a convoluted mass which, when 

 unravelled may measure up to 10 inches in length. The}?" do not 

 seem to invade any hollow or solid organ. They exist in large 

 numbers in some specimens even to the extent of making the host 

 appear gravid. I have found this worm also around the intestine 

 in Bungarus fasciatus, beneath the peritoneum of Tropidonotus 

 piscator, and beneath the skin of Coluber radiatus as well as in 

 T. stolatus. 



Local Distribution. — This species is a resident in the Plains, but 

 wanders to an altitude in the Hills which varies with the locality. 

 Its relative abundance in various districts in the Plains, and the 

 altitude to which it wanders is interesting. In the low country 

 in Ceylon Dr. Willey* reports it the commonest snake to be met 

 with. Mr. E. E. Green tells me that in Kandy (1,700 feet) it is 

 quite common, and Mr. Pearlessf says that at Badulla (2,500 feet) 

 it is very common, but at Hakgalla (5,600 feet) I only got one 

 specimen out of 80 collected. 



In Cannanore out of 377 snakes collected, 2 in every 18 were of 

 this species, but at Paralai in the Anamallays (3,500 to 4,000 feet) 

 I got no specimen out of 91 sent me in 1909. I am told, however, 

 by the Revd. E. M. Gombert, S. J., that it is common in the 

 Palney Hills (Shembaganur) between 5,000 to 6,000 feet. 



In Fyzabad out of 704 snakes, 2 in every 9 were stolatus, but in 

 the Western Himalayas at Almora (5,300 feet) I got only 2 in 38 

 snakes of all kinds in 1909. In the Bengal Plains it is evidently 

 very common, for I got 7 specimens out of 25 sent me from the 

 Jalpaiguri District, but out of a collection of 778 made in the 



* Spol. Zeylan., April 1906, p. 233. t Spol. Zeylan. March 1909. 



