94 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



demonstrated similar powers. In the water it swims nimbly 

 and with astonishing vigour, in no way inferior to that of 

 the true fresh-water snakes Homalopsinx and the marine 

 snakes Hydrophiinse. During flood time in the low-country 

 it is frequently to be seen swimming on the surface of the 

 water submerged, except for its head, and if hustled it will 

 dive, and disappear with wonderful alacrity. 



(/) JEstivation : During the hot weather it goes into 

 retirement, and while the drought lasts extremely few speci- 

 mens come to bag, but as soon as the monsoon bursts, and 

 the air is sonorous with the croakings of multitudes of frogs 

 that have suddenly appeared as if by magic, the chequered 

 keelback quits its summer quarters and disseminates itself 

 broadcast. 



(g) Hibernation : In parts of the country that enjoy a cold 

 winter piscator disappears, and goes into retirement till 

 the warmth of Spring entices it forth again. Some indivi- 

 duals, however, will be met with, during the warmth of the 

 day sunning themselves. I have encountered them when 

 duck shooting in Northern India lying on the vegetation 

 above the water level. 



(h) Sloughing : A specimen in captivity in the Madras 

 Museum shed its skin on May 17, June 11, 1896 ; January 20 

 and February 24, 1897. Mr. D'Abreu told me of a specimen 

 in Nagpur that desquamated twice during a confinement of 

 a little over two months. I had a specimen in Rangoon that 

 sloughed on February 2 and March 13 and then died. Another 

 in Cannanore exfoliated on June 19, and again on July 13. 



Food. — Its main diet is batrachian, usually frogs being 

 ingested, doubtless because they are so plentiful and so easy 

 to capture. Fish, however, are frequently taken. I have 

 found as many as eight or nine tadpoles in the stomach of a 

 young specimen. Mr. D'Abreu tells me he once found six 

 large toads (Bufo melanostictus) and a fish inside one 

 specimen. I knew one swallow four small frogs (Rana 

 limnocharis) at one meal. In Cannanore, on several occa- 

 sions one was brought to me wriggling at the end of a fish 

 hook, which had been baited with a frog by native urchins. 

 I have never seen one attempt to constrict its victim, nor 



