278 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Dipsadomorphus ceylonensis (Gunther). 

 (Latin, implying a denizen of Ceylon.) 



Gunther's Catsnake. 



Sinhalese : '* mapila " (Ferguson). 



Synonymy. — Dipsas ceylonensis, D. Tiexagonota. 



History. — Described by Gunther in 1858. 



General Characters. — A fair-sized species growing to 4 feet. 

 The head, neck, and body conform to the characters specified 

 under the genus. The tail is about one -fifth the total 

 length. 



Identification. — The scales 19 two heads-lengths behind the 

 head, 19 in midbody, and 15 or 13 two heads-lengths before 

 the vent will indicate the genus among Ceylon snakes. From 

 barnesi it will be known by the single prseocular and three 

 supralabials touching the eye, and from beddomei by the ventrals 

 not exceeding 243 and subcaudals 111. 



Colouration. — Dorsally pale-brown, with a vertebral series 

 of large dark-brown spots continuing on to the tail, the 

 intervals involving about two vertebral scales. Usually a 

 short, narrow, oblique stripe is given off from each spot 

 laterally which passes backwards. There is an elongate 

 nuchal streak, with a lateral streak beside it. The head has 

 a pair of dark lung-shaped marks on the occiput, and a narrow, 

 dark, postocular stripe passes to the gape. The belly is pale 

 grayish or yellowish, with small specklings of brown and 

 larger brown, lateral spots. 



Habits. — (a) Haunts : Arboreal vegetation of all kinds. It 

 frequently intrudes into man's immediate vicinity, taking up 

 quarters in the garden, and is not infrequently met with on 

 the creepers around the house. It was frequently disturbed 

 in the Nilgiri Hills by estate coolies when plucking tea and 

 coffee. 



