SNAKES OF CEYLON. 19 



Habits. — (a) Haunts : A burrowing snake that lives be- 

 neath the soil. 



(b) Disposition : A very placid snake that exhibits no sign 

 of temper. Haly says : "Placed on a table it makes no attempt 

 to escape, but lies with its head beneath its lowest coil, and 

 its tail spread out so as to resemble the head of a cobra, 

 which it imitates in its motions. If irritated for some time it 

 finally ejects from the anus a few drops of a yellow acrid 

 liquid." I think the secretion alluded to is from the anal 

 glands which open on each side of the roof of the cloaca. 



(c) Progression : Above the soil its progression is hampered, 

 and slow. 



Food. — I know of no observations in this direction. 



Breeding. — (a) Method of Reproduction : Abercromby was 

 the first to show that it is viviparous in habit, and I am in a 

 position to confirm this observation. 



(b) Season : Abercromby's gravid specimen was captured 

 on April 1. 



(c) Period of Gestation : Not known. 



Growth. — (a) The Young : The young are retained until 

 they attain a very unusual degree of development. In a 

 gravid specimen of mine, I found two foetuses measuring 127 

 to 137 mm. (5 and 5f inches). The former was a male, 

 and the latter a female. Abercromby's gravid female con- 

 tained three embryos. A recently born specimen measured 

 127 mm. (6 inches). 



(b) Maturity : My dam just alluded to measure 272 mm. 

 (10f inches). If this species grows as rapidly as other 

 snakes, and doubles its length in the first year of life, this 

 specimen must have been only one year old. 



(c) Maximum Length : My largest specimen was 622 mm. 

 (2 feet and \ an inch) in length. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral : Touches four shields ; projected back- 

 wards to separate half the length of the nasals. Nasals : In 

 contact behind the rostral. Prefrontals : As long as the 

 frontal ; touching the nasals, 2nd and 3rd supraoculars, eye, 

 and supraocular. Frontal : Touches six shields ; the front o- 

 supraocular sutures about twice the length of the fronto- 

 parietals. Supraoculars : As long as the frontal but reaching 



