SNAKES OF CEYLON. 303 



Food. — I found the tail of a skink, probably one of genus 

 Mabuia, in the stomach of one specimen. 



Breeding. — I found five sacs in one example containing 

 embryos of such a size as to leave no doubt that it is viviparous. 



Poison. — No information is to hand of any casualty. 



Growth. — (a) The Young: I have seen a small example, 

 apparently recently born, that measured 660 mm. (14 inches). 



(b) Maximum Length: The largest I have seen was 1,587 

 mm. (5 feet 2| inches), the tail 653 mm. (2 feet If inches). 

 Boulenger mentions one 1,730 mm. (5 feet 6 \ inches). 



Lepidosis. — (a) Typical : This accords so closely with that 

 of D. mycterizans as not to call for a detailed description. 

 Ventrals : 180 to 212. Subcaudals : 146 to 207. 



(b) Anomalies — Loreals : Rarely present. I have seen 

 one with a small anterior and a posterior one. Supralabials : 

 Sometimes nine or ten, the 4th and 5th divided, and 4th, 5th, 

 and 6th touching the eye ; or 5th and 6th divided, and 5th, 6th, 

 and 7th touching the eye ; or 4th, 5th, and 6th divided, and 

 5th, 6th, and 7th touching the eye. 



Dentition. — From two skulls in my collection, one from 

 Ceylon and one from the Nilgiri Hills. 31 axilla : Prsenodal, 

 7 ; the first five coryphodont, the last two larger than the 

 preceding and subequal. Prsecranterian, 5 or 6 ; small, 

 isodont. Cranterian, 2 ; enlarged, subequal, obliquely -set, 

 grooved on their outer faces. Palatine : 9. Pterygoid : 19 

 to 22. Mandibular : Prsenodal, 5 ; the first three coryphodont, 

 the last two enlarged and subequal. Postnodal, 13 to 16 ; 

 isodont. 



Distribution. — (a) General : South India and Ceylon. 



(b) Local : It has been recorded by Haly from Ratnapura 

 and Wadduwa. One in the Colombo Museum of the Swayne 

 collection is from Horana, and another is from Weuda, Kurune- 

 gala District. I have seen specimens from Galle, Veyangoda, 

 Kandy, and Kalupahana, Haldummulla District (about 

 3,000 feet). Mr. Green obtained one at Peradeniya. Mr. 

 Drummond-Hay tells me he got three from Rasagalla 

 District and many at Punagalla, Yatiyantota District, 

 below about 1,000 feet, but not up-country. It appears to 

 be a low-country species ascending the hills to about 3,000 feet. 



