20 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Uropeltis grandis Kelaart. 



(Latin " grandis " large ; evidently meaning by comparison 

 with its close allies.) 



Kelaart 's Uropeltis (or Earth Snake.) 



Synonymy. — Uropeltis philippinus, U. saffragamus. U. 

 paradalis, Pseudo-Typhlops philippinus. 



History. — described by Kelaart in 1853. 



General Characters. — As detailed under the genus. The 

 diameter of the body is about 1/20 the total length. 



Identification. — Easily recognized at once by the terminal 

 caudal shield which is peculiar to this snake. (See fig. 8.) 



Colouration. — Nearly uniform brown or blackish dorsally ; 

 lighter ventrally. When looked into closely the scales are seen 

 to be dark basally, where overlapped by the preceding scales. 



Habits. — Nothing known. 



Food. — Mr. Green observed one picking grubs out of cow 

 dung . 



Breeding. — Nothing known. 



Growth. — (a) Early Life: My smallest specimen was 140 

 mm. (5| inches) long. 



(b) Maximum Length : 460 mm. (1 foot 6 inches long). 



Lepidosis. — As detailed under the genus. 



Costals : Two heads-lengths behind the head 21 ; shortly 

 behind this the 4th and 5th rows above the ventrals blend, and 

 the rows then remain 19 to the vent. Ventrals : 129 to 147. 

 Subcaudals : 6 to 9. 



Dentition. — From one skull in my collection . Mamillary : 7 . 

 Palatine: Edentulous. Pterygoid: Edentulous. Mandibular : 8. 



Distribution.— (a) General : Peculiar to Ceylon. 



(b) Local: Apparently very local and a hill snake. Has 

 been recorded from Matura, Kandy. Matara, Badulla, and 

 Uva District. 



Apparently uncommon or very local. Mr. Drummond-Hay 

 tells me he lias never acquired a specimen. 



