200 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



been bitten in several places." Abercromby says that it has a 

 peculiar habit of encircling and holding its prey in its coils, 

 but that it does not crush its prey. 



Breeding. — (a) The Sexes: Of 44 specimens sexed in the 

 Nilgiri Hills, 26 were males and 18 females. Males have 

 shorter bodies and longer tails than females. The male 

 claspers are cylindrical organs, not bifid at the extremity, and 

 are beset with re-curved, cartilaginous processes. 



(b) Method of Reproduction : It is not known which method 

 of reproduction occurs. 



(c) Season : The fact that no female was gravid out of 107 

 specimens collected forme in the Nilgiris in June to September, 

 1917, seems to indicate that the eggs or young had been 

 discharged earlier in the year. Mr. D'Abreu has told 

 me of a specimen which appeared to have been recently 

 born or hatched on March 29 at Nagpur. I had several 

 similar specimens in the Nilgiris in the months of July 

 and August. 



(d) Period of Gestation. — Not known. 



Growth. — {a) The Young: My smallest specimens measured 

 about 330 to 355 mm. (13 to 14 inches) in length, and 

 appeared to have Very recently been born or hatched. One 

 in the Colombo Museum is 287 mm. (11 J inches). 



(b) Early Life: From a good series of 107 obtained in the 

 Nilgiris in 1917, it appears that the young grow about 10 

 inches in the first, and second years of life. 



(c) Maturity : Not known. 



(d) Maximum Length: Specimens over 1,220 mm. (4 feet) 

 are unusual, and over 1,525 mm. (5 feet) rare. The largest I 

 have seen measured 1,500, 1,575, and 1,590 mm. (4 feet 11 

 inches, 5 feet 2 inches, and 5 feet 3 inches). 



Parasites. — (a) Ectozoa: I have found some specimens 

 infested with a tick identified by Professor Nuttall as Apo- 

 nomma Ixve and otheis with a minute scarlet arachnid, which 

 appears to be the same as those seen on Oligodon sublineatum 

 and Polyodontophis subpunctatus (fig. 19.) 



