188 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Lepidosis. — (a) Typical — Rostral : The rostro -nasal sutures 

 subequal to, or rather greater than the rostro -internasals, 

 longer than the rostro -labials. Internasals: The suture be- 

 tween them half to two-thirds that between the prefrontals ; 

 three-fifths to two-thirds the internaso-prsefrontals. Pre- 

 frontals : Touch the internasal, postnasal, two loreals, prse- 

 ocular, and supraocular ; the suture between them longer 

 than the prsefr onto -frontal. Frontal : The front ©-supra- 

 ocular sutures fully twice as long as the fronto -parietal s. 

 Supraoculars : About as long as the frontal, and about as 

 broad along a line connecting the centres of the eyes. Nasals : 

 Divided. Loreals : Three. Preeocular : One. Postoculars : 

 Two. Temporals : Two ; the lower as long or nearly as long 

 as the supraocular. Supralabials : Eight ; 1st and 2nd 

 touching the nasals, 4th and 5th the eye, and the 5th, 6th, and 

 7th, or 6th and 7th the temporal ; the 4th divided. Sub- 

 linguals : The posterior touch the 5th and 6th infralabials. 

 Infralabials : Six, the 5th and 6th subequal ; the 6th 

 broader than the posterior sublinguals, and nearly as long ; 

 touching two scales behind. (Fig. 40.) 



Costals : Vertebrals where the rows are odd, slightly enlarged ; 

 the breadth of the scales about three-fourths their length, as 

 broad or broader than the ultimate row. The 3rd to 7th rows 

 above the ventrals slightly oblique, the breadth of these rows 

 about half their length. Last two rows enlarged and recti - 

 form. Ultimate row longer than broad. In 17 rows to 

 behind midbody, reducing to 16 by the absorption of the 

 vertebral row into the uppermost row on the left side ; later 

 reducing to 14 or 12 by the absorption of the 3rd row above 

 the Ventrals. The median six to eight rows keeled posteriorly. 

 Ventrals : 180 to 213. Obtusely angulate laterally. Anal : 

 Divided. Supracaudals : In even rows, keeled as far as the 

 sixes. Subcaudals : 95 to 146 ; divided. 



(b) Anomalies — Loreals: Not infrequently two (1 -f- 1), 

 especially in Punjab specimens ; sometimes four or even five. 

 Postoculars: Rarely three. Supralabials: The fourth is 

 sometimes not divided. Occasionally two are confluent to 

 make seven, or there may be a supernumerary one to make 



