SNAKES OF CEYLON. 235 



gave no clue to its probable path of ascent. It is more 

 frequently met with in the rains than at other times during 

 the year. 



(/) Sloughing : I do not know how often desquamation 

 occurs. I have found its sloughs on Various occasions, and 

 noted that the black cross-bars are faintly indicated on the 

 discarded vestment. 



Food. — I found two eggs of a lizard or snake in the stomach 

 of one specimen. In another I found a similar egg, and an 

 amorphous mass which had formed a rough cast of the 

 stomach. This represented the coagulated yolk of eggs 

 upon which it had feasted. I found a plug of hair in the 

 cloaca of one specimen, indicating that a small mammal had 

 been ingested. 



Breeding. — (a) The Sexes : In Fyzabad out of 15 sexed, 



8 proved to be males and 7 females. In Almora of 12 sexed, 



9 were males and only 3 females. The female has a relatively 

 longer body and shorter tail, as might be inferred from the 

 difference in the ventrals and subcaudals in the sexes. There 

 appears to be little, if any, difference in the growth of the 

 sexes, for although my two largest records of 2 feet were both 

 females, I have had males 589 and 604 mm. (1 foot lOf inches, 

 and 1 foot llf inches) in length. 



There is good reason to think that the pair cohabit long 

 after the act of mating, as I had a male and a female killed 

 in close proximity, the latter in an advanced state of preg- 

 nancy. 



(b) Method of Reproduction: It is evidently oviparous in 

 habit. I have had a specimen with large eggs containing 

 no trace of an embryo. 



(c) Season: I had a female with eggs seemingly fit for 

 discharge on August 18, and another on the 22nd of the 

 same month with eggs about half an inch long, which would 

 probably not have been laid till late in September. I had 

 specimens 165 and 168 mm. (6J and 6f inches) long, which 

 I took to be hatch lings in April, and 181 and 193 mm. (7 J 

 and 7| inches) long in July. 



