72 JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. X. 



also appear to prefer frogs to rats, possibly because the former are 

 easier to catch. On seizing its prey it immediately begins to swallow 

 it alive, and in a very short time a large number of frogs are disposed 

 of. They are fed once a week. The oldest rat-snake in the Gardens 

 has been in captivity for six years and was taken when quite young." 



Coluber helena.~T\xh is a common snake in the hills above a 

 thousand feet elevation. 



Dendrophis grandoculis — A single snake of this species was sent to 

 me from Pirmerd. 



Dendrophis pktus.--K fairly common snake both in the hills and 

 plains. Mr. Ingleby writes about those we have had in captivity : 

 "It is a very lively and plucky snake, also a very pretty one when 

 excited. It is very keen after frogs, particularly tree frogs." 



BendropUs bifrenalis. — Mr. Boulenger only records this from 

 Ceylon ; it is, however, not uncommon in Trevandrum. 



Dendrophis caudolineolatus.— Like the last has been hitherto looked 

 on as peculiar to Ceylon, but a single specimen was sent to me from 

 Pirmerd. 



Tropidonotiis heddomii. — A fairly common snake throughout the 

 hiUs above fifteen hundred feet elevation. 



Tropidonotus stolatus. — Common both on the hills and in the plains. 

 In captivity it is fond of lying in water. 



Tropidonotus piscator.— This is essentially a water snake. It is 

 common in the plains. On Pirmerd there is a peculiar variety having 

 the markings quite different from those of the low country form. In 

 the Public Gardens these snakes used to make a habit of coming into 

 the caoes of the water-fowl on the edge of the lake to purloin the fish 

 and often were killed by the herons, but especially suffered at the 

 beak of the hair-crested stork, which took a delight in watching for 

 them. 



Tropidonotus plumhicolor, — Fairly common both on the hills and in 

 the plains. 



Belicops schistosus. — Two specimens were taken in, or near, Trevan- 

 drum. One was brought alive and lived for some months in captivity ; 

 though its habits are said to be aquatic, I never saw it go into the 

 chatty of water provided for it, nor did I ever see it " flattening and 

 laterally expanding the skin of the anterior part of the body," 



