32 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Rhinophis oxyrhynchus (Schneider). 



(Greek " oxus " sharp, "rhynchos" snout.) 

 Schneider's Rhinophis (or Earth Snake). 



Synonymy. — Typhlops oxyrhynchus, Depatnaya lankadivana. 

 Mytilia unimaculata. 



History. — Described and christened by Schneider in 1801. 



General Characters. — The largest of the genus growing to 

 22 inches. Head small, snout very acute, keeled above. 

 Eye very small, less than one-third the horizontal diameter of 

 the ocular shield. Body moderately long, its diameter at 

 midbody being about one thirty-fifth to one fortieth the total 

 length. Tail short. 



Identification. — The caudal shield about as long as the 

 shielded part of the head, rostral longer than the frontal, and 

 ventrals less than 230 if taken together will denote the species. 



Colouration. — Head dark brown without marks. Body 

 scales dark brown, the basal part darkest, and with lighter 

 margins. The ventral rows are outlined with whitish. A few 

 quite white ventral patches before the anus. 



Habits. — Kelaart says it frequents ant hills, and may be 

 found as deep as 2 or 3 feet beneath the soil. 



Food. — Nothing known. 



Growth. — Maximum Length: A very fine male (?) specimen 

 in the Colombo Museum measures 573 mm. (22 J inches). 



Lepidosis. — Rostral : Sharply keeled above, length greater 

 than frontal, about half the shielded part of the head. Frontal : 

 About as broad as long, as long as the parietals. 



Costals: Two heads-lengths behind the head 21 or 19, mid- 

 body 19 or 17, two heads-lengths before the vent 19 or 17. 

 All rows subequal except the ultimate, which is rather the 

 broadest. Ventrals : 211 to 227. Subcaudals ; 5 to 7. 



Caudal shield : About as long as the shielded part of the 

 head. 



Dentition. — I have no skull. 



