280 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



The only other specimen of that year's brood, also killed in 

 August, was 432 mm. (15 J inches). 



This last must have hatched out three months or more 

 earlier. Four examples in the Colombo Museum vary from 

 287 to 326 mm. (11| to 12J inches). 



(b) Early Life : A long series collected in the Nilgiri Hills 

 enables me to recognize the broods of successive years, 

 and it is evident the young grow about ten or twelve 

 inches a year. The average lengths in the months of July, 

 August, and September being respectively 23, 34, and 44 

 inches. 



(c) Maturity : My smallest prospective dam measured 

 730 mm. (2 feet 4| inches), a length indicating that she was 

 about eighteen months old. 



(d) Maximum Length : My two largest specimens, both 

 males, measured 1,283 mm. (4 feet 2 J inches). Abercromby 

 mentions one 1,296 mm. (4 feet 3 inches), and Boulenger's 

 outside measurement is 1,320 mm. (4 feet 4 inches). 



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

 are about twice the rostro -labials, and more than twice the 

 rostro -intern asals. Internasals : The suture between them is 

 rather shorter than that between the prefrontal pair, and 

 rather shorter than the internaso -prefrontals. Prefrontals : 

 The suture between them rather longer than the prsefronto- 

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

 and supraocular. Frontal : The fr onto -supraocular sutures 

 are rather longer than the fronto-parietals. Supraoculars : 

 About as long as the frontal, and about half the breadth of 

 the frontal along a line connecting the centres of the eyes. 

 Nasals : Two. Loreal : Rather longer than deep, and about 

 three -fifths the length of the nasals. Praeoculars : One, 

 reaching or nearly reaching the frontal. Postoculars : Two. 

 Temporals : Two ; small, variable, about half the length of the 

 supraocular. Supralabials : Eight ; the 1st and 2nd touching 

 the nasals ; 3rd, 4th, and 5th the eye ; and 6th and 7th the lower 

 temporal. Sublinguals : The posterior are about as long or 

 onger than the anterior, quite separated by small scales, and 



