304 SNAKES OF CEYLON 



Genus CHRYSOPELEA. 



(Greek " chrusos " gold, and " peleios " black.) 



General Characters (for Indian species). — As detailed under 

 the species. 



Identification. — The keeled ventrals taken with the verte- 

 brals not being enlarged will declare the genus. 



Habits. — Arboreal. Diurnal. Very active. Fierce when 

 provoked. 



Food. — Mainly lacertine. 



Breeding. — Little known. Probably oviparous. 



Poison. — Feebly poisonous. No ill effects have ever been 

 reported as a result of its bite. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral : Touches six shields. Intemasals : A 

 pair. Prefrontals : A pair. Frontal : Touches eight shields 

 usually. Nasals: Divided. Lor ml : One. Prseoculars : One, 

 usually touching the frontal. Postoculars : Two. Temporals: 

 Two, rather small. Supralabials : Nine or ten. Sublinguals: 

 Two pairs, the posterior rather longer. Infralabials : Six. 



Costals : Longer than broad, feebly keeled in some median 

 rows in the posterior part of the body, with paired apical pits. 

 Vertebrate : Not enlarged, rectiform ; breadth of scales about 

 three -fourths their length, and about three-fourths that ot the 

 ultimate row. Lateral rows subequal, feebly oblique. Ulti- 

 mate row enlarged, the breadth of its scales subequal to their 

 length. In 17 rows to behind midbody, reducing to 13 two 

 heads-lengths before the vent. Ventrals : Strongly keeled 

 laterally. Supracaudals : In even rows. Anal : Divided. 

 Subcaudals : Divided ; strongly keeled laterally. 



Dentition. — Maxillary : Syncranterian, anododont, feebly 

 coryphodont ; teeth feebly grooved basally on their outer faces, 

 the last three or four deeply grooved from base to apex. 

 Palatine : Anododont, scaphiodont. Pterygoid : Anododont, 

 scaphiodont. Mandibular : Anododont, feebly kumatodont. 



Distribution. — South-Eastern Asia. 



There are three species, one of which occurs in Ceylon, viz., 

 omata, • 



