246 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



General Characters. — As detailed for the genus. Body of 

 moderate girth and equal calibre throughout. Neck not 

 evident. Tail about one-sixth to one-seventh the total 

 length. 



Identification.' — The costals in 15 rows in the whole body 

 length, a divided anal shield, and subcaudals less than 36 

 will indicate this or the next species, templetoni is known 

 from sublineatus by the belly being boldly dappled with black 

 and white. 



Colouration. — Dorsally brown, with a more or less distinct 

 yellowish Vertebral stripe, more distinct posteriorly and 

 especially on the tail. About 18 narrow dark cross-bars. 

 An oblique dark stripe below the eye, and indistinct markings 

 on the top of the head. Ventrum with squarish black and 

 white evenly distributed spots. Mr. Green tells me that in 

 life the ventral white spots seen in spirit specimens are yellow 

 or pinkish. 



Habits. — Nothing known. 



Food. — Nothing known. 



Breeding. — Nothing known. 



Growth. — (a) The Young : One in the Colombo Museum 

 measures 126 mm. (5 inches), but as the navel is completely 

 obliterated it is almost certain that the young at birth are 

 even smaller than this. 



(b) Maximum Length: A female in the Colombo Museum 

 measures 290 mm. (11 J inches). This is the largest I am 

 aware of. 



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

 rostro-internasal sutures are subequal and rather longer 

 than the rostro -labials. Inter nasals : The suture between 

 them shorter than that between the prefrontal pair ; less 

 than half the internaso-prsefrontals. Prefrontals: The 

 suture between them about three-fifths the prsefronto- 

 frontals ; touching the internasal, postnasal, loreal, prseocular, 

 and supraocular. Frontal : The fronto-supraocular sutures 



