SNAKES OF CEYLON. 291 



Dryophis mycterizans Linne. 



(Greek " mucterizo " I turn up the nose.) 



The Common Whipsnake. 



Sinhalese : " ehetulla " and " esgulla " (eye plucker) 

 (Green). Tamil : " kan-kuthi-pambu " (eye thrusting 

 snake), "pachay pambu " (green snake), " komberi mookan " 

 (snouted branch climber). 



Synonymy. — Coluber mycterizans, C. nasutus, Dryinus 

 mycterizans, D. nasutus, D. oxyrhynchus, D. russellianus, D. 

 fuscus, Passerita mycterizans, P. fusca, Dryophis pavoninus, 

 D. nasutus. 



History. — It was christened by Linne as far back as 1754, 

 and figured by him. Russell remarked upon it in 1796, 

 and figured it twice in his first volume (Plates XII. and 

 XIII.). 



General Characters. — Grows to over 6 feet in length. Head 

 moderately depressed ; broadest just before the neck. Snout 

 elongate, narrowing rapidly to a terminal point, like the 

 bows of an outrigger ; terminating in a projecting epidermal 

 appendage, with a prominent raised canthus. Loreal region 

 markedly concave. Eye rather large, iris powdered with 

 gold. It is set with a decided inclination forwards, which 

 permits a practically uninterrupted range of vision anteriorly. 

 The horizontal pupil allows light to impinge on the retina 

 from a point far behind the eye. I estimate the field of 

 vision as extending through an arc of about 330°. Nostril 

 small, round, pierced in the back of the nasal. Neck very 

 evident. Body long and very slender, markedly compressed 

 in life, round after death ; attenuating to the neck and 

 posteriorly. Belly rounded. Tail cylindrical, very long, 

 being sometimes in males more than one-third the total 

 length, and longer relatively than in any other Indian snake, 



