SNAKES OF CEYLON. 277 



Dentition. — Maxillary : Praecranterian, 8 to 10 ; Cranterian, 

 2. Palatine : 5 or 6, as long as the maxillary. Pterygoid : 

 7 to 10. Mandibular : 14 to 16. (Fig. 57.) 



Fig. 57. — Maxilla and mandible of Dipsadomorphus trigonatus. 



(X 2.) 



Distribution. — (a) General : Peninsular India to the 

 Himalayas. On the north-west it extends beyond the borders 

 of Persia to Transcaspia, and on the north-east to Assam. 

 Ceylon. 



(b) Local : It is a denizen of the plains, but ascends some 

 altitude into hilly regions. I obtained several specimens from 

 Almora in the Western Himalayas at about 5,000 feet 

 elevation. 



It is a fairly common snake in India, and probably com- 

 moner than its captures denote, for it is usually encountered 

 on the ground, after leaving the protection of its arboreal 

 environment. If seen in a tree it would almost certainly 

 evade capture unless a gun were handy. 



The fact that I found a specimen in a small collection made 

 by Mr. Ormiston at Kalupahana, Haldummulla (about 3,000 

 feet), is interesting, for neither Haly nor Willey included the 

 species in their lists, and Boulenger does not include Ceylon 

 within the range of its habitat. Wm. Ferguson, however, 

 wrote in 1877 : " of specimens sent to be named by Dr. 

 Gunther, he is returning one named Dipsas trigonata." Since 

 this date no mention of this species has been made, and, 

 presumably, no specimen has come to light, since Haly, Willey, 

 and Boulenger omit to mention it as a Ceylon snake, possibly 

 thinking that Gunther was mistaken in his identification, or 

 that the snake submitted to him had not really been obtained 

 in this Island. 



