SNAKES OF CEYLON. 193 



(c) Striking Posture : When alarmed it erects the forebody, 

 and flattens the body behind the neck like a cobra. I under- 

 stand from Mr. Millard, who is very familiar with it, that it is 

 on account of its habit of flattening its body, and a general 

 resemblance in colour and appearance to a small cobra when 

 moving, that the Konkani natives so frequently declare it is 

 a female cobra. Specimens of mine gave a lively exhibition 

 of their cobra -like behaviour. They erected themselves 

 probably as high relatively as a cobra would do, and flattened 

 the forebody very remarkably. 



(d) Nocturnal or Diurnal : It is diurnal in its habits. 



(e) Progression : It is a remarkably lively little snake, 

 so active and alert that its capture is a matter of no little 

 difficulty. 



Food. — A specimen sent to me from Patna had swallowed 

 a rat. Stoliczka, however, remarks that it feeds on frogs 

 and worms. 



Breeding. — Nothing known. 



Growth. — (a) Early Life: I obtained a small specimen II J 

 inches in length, which appeared to have been but recently 

 born or hatched, in July at Fyzabad. Mr. D'Abreu told me 

 he obtained a similar specimen — length not recorded — in May 

 at Patna. 



( 6) Maximum Length : The largest I have examined was 

 1,283 mm. (4 feet 2 J inches). Mr. D'Abreu has told me of a 

 specimen he acquired at Nagpur that taped 1,347 mm. (4 feet 

 5 inches). 



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

 and rostro-nasal sutures subequal, or the former rather longer, 

 longer than the rostro -labials. Internasals : The suture 

 between them shorter than that between the prefrontals, and 

 shorter than the internaso -prefrontal. Prsefrontals : The 

 sutures between them subequal to, or rather greater than, the 

 pr efr onto -front als ; touching the internasal, postnasal, loreal, 

 preocular, and frontal. Frontal : The fronto -supraocular 

 sutures fully twice the fronto -pari etals. Supraoculars : As 

 long as the frontal, and nearly as broad along a line connecting 

 the centres of the eyes. Nasals : Divided. Loreal : One, 



30 6(6)20 



