124 



SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



7th touching the posterior sublinguals, 7th broader than the 

 posterior sublinguals, but not so long, touching three scales 

 behind. Costals : Emarginate ; keeled in all rows, except 

 the last, for a variable extent anteriorly (Fig. 28). Apical 



Fig. 28. — Scales of Amphiesma stolata to show apical 

 emargination. 



facets in pairs are often obscure. Supracaudals : Keeled till 

 after the rows have reduced to fours. Ventrals : 120 to 161. 

 Anal : Divided. Subcaudals : 46 to 89 (Fig. 29). 



Sub An V.en 



Fig. 29. — Anal region of Amphiesma stolata. 



(b) Anomalies. — Loreal : Sometimes duplicated {• 

 Praeoculars : Rarely two. Postoculars : Rarely two or four. 

 Temporals : Rarely two. Supralabials : Frequently two or 

 more are confluent, making six, with the 2nd and 3rd, 3rd only, 



