98 



SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



(c) Early Life : The growth is somewhat difficult to follow, 

 as the breeding season covers such a long period of the year. 

 The young appear, however, to grow about 10 inches a year, 

 thus they average about 17 to 18 inches in length at the end 

 of the first year, 27 to 28 at the end of the second, and 37 to 

 38 at the end of the third. 



(d) Maturity : The smallest female in my records, to 

 demonstrate her fertility, measured 806 mm. (2 feet 7| 

 inches), and I estimate that she was about two and a half 

 years old. All other gravid females have been at least 

 three years old. 



(e) Maximum Length : I have measurements of some 

 hundreds of specimens, and have only about two records 

 where the length exceeded 1,220 mm. (4 feet), viz., 1,252 mm. 

 (4feet 1 J inches), and 1,290 mm. (4 feet 2| inches). Nicholson 

 records one example 1,296 mm. (4 feet 3 inches), and Blanford 

 another of similar length. Mr. D'Abreu has informed me 

 of a specimen killed at Nagpur which taped 1,480 mm. (4 feet 

 10J inches). 



Parasites. — (a) Entozoa : The chequered keelback suffers very 

 much from internal parasites. A linguatulid, or maggot-like, 

 white parasite, growing to about 10 mm. (f of an inch) in 

 length, frequently attaches itself to the tissues in the 

 abdominal cavity. This is called Porocephalus crotali. 

 (Fig. 21.) 



Fig. 21. — Porocephalus crotali (life size) 

 from Nerodia piscator. 



