6 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



also serve the purpose of bringing the sexes together for 

 matrimonial relationship. Vision is more or less obtuse at 

 the best, but becomes more and more obscured as a period of 

 desquamation approaches, from scratches sustained during 

 burrowing operations. 



They are extremely defenceless reptiles. The mouth lies 

 beneath the snout, and could not inflict an injury to any but 

 the smallest creatures, apart from the fact that there are no 

 opposable teeth with which to bite. 



Food. — They live on worms, grubs, and insects in the 

 various stages of their metamorphoses. 



Breeding. — As far as is known they are oviparous. In the 

 case of the Burmese species diardi, I ascertained that very 

 minute embryos are in process of development before the eggs 

 are discharged. 



Poison. — All are non-poisonous. 



Lepidosis. — The head is covered with large shields, having 

 a form and disposition peculiar to the genus. 



The scales on the body are very highly polished, and this 

 appears to be a special adaptation to prevent the adhesion 

 of earth to them. Owing to this polish it is very difficult to 

 see the outlines of the scales unless viewed in reflected light. 

 The scales, too, have a dark, subterminal zone, which seems to 

 indicate their borders, but which in reality does not. The 

 diminutive size of the creatures, combined with these two 

 other conditions, make it extremely difficult, without practice, 

 to count the scales, or to see the characters for which one is 

 specially looking. 



Distribution. — South Europe ; South Asia ; Africa ; Tropical 

 America ; Australia. 



Mr. Drummond-Hay tells me that he has never had any 

 single Typhlops brought in to him. His coolies bring in the 

 csecilian Icthyophis glutinosus frequently, and also elongate 

 lizards, such as some Lygosomata, and even worms. From 

 this it would appear that the Ceylon Typhlops are exclusively 

 low-country snakes. 



About one hundred species are known, of which about 

 eighteen are Indian and three occur in Ceylon, viz., mirus, 

 braminus, and leucomelas. 



