SNAKES OF CEYLON. 89 



Distribution. — (a) General : Peninsular India and Ceylon. 

 In India most of the specimens have been collected in hills or 

 their near vicinity. 



(6) Local: Haly says that it is a very common snake 

 round Colombo. This statement is not, however, supported 

 by other observers, nor borne out by the specimens available 

 in museums. It is a denizen of the Low-country. Haly 

 mentions one from Neboda near Kalutara, and Willey one 

 from Puttalam. Mr. Drummond-Hay tells me that it was an 

 uncommon snake at Galatura estate, Ratnapura District (500 

 to 1,000 feet), and he has not acquired it at higher elevations 

 elsewhere. 



Genus TROPIDONOTUS. 



(Greek " tropis " a keel, and " notus " the back.) 



Boulenger in his catalogue (1893) divides the genus 

 Tropidonotus into four Subgenera, Tropidonotus, Nerodia, 

 Amphiesma, and Macropophis. These are based on differences 

 in the maxillary dentition and lepidosis. His arrangement 

 of this cumbersome genus including over eighty species is 

 as follows : — 



TROPIDONOTUS. 



Maxillary teeth 18 to 40, posterior longest ; mandibular 

 teeth subequal. Head usually distinct from neck ; eye 

 rather small, moderate, or large, with round pupil. Body 

 more or less elongate, cylindrical ; scales mostly keeled, in 

 some species smooth, usually with apical pits, in 15 to 33 rows ; 

 ventrals rounded. Tail moderate or long ; subcaudals in 

 two rows. Hypapophyses developed throughout the verte- 

 bral column. 



Europe ; Asia ; Africa ; North Australia ; North and 

 Central America. 



Sub-genus Teopidonotus. 



Maxillary teeth not more than 30, the hinder gradually 

 enlarged ; eyes and nostrils lateral ; internasal shields 

 broadly truncate anteriorly. 



17 6(6)20 



