SNAKES OF CEYLON. . 341 



Habits. — It is not unusual for it to come up tidal rivers 

 forty or fifty miles from the sea. 



Food. — No special observations have been made concerning 

 its diet. 



Breeding. — (a) Method of Reproduction : There is no 

 authentic information on this point. 



(b) Season : My one gravid female had no date of capture 

 recorded. 



(c) The Brood : A specimen from Burma contained nine 

 eggs measuring 38 by 19 mm. (1J by f of an inch). An egg 

 opened by me contained no trace of an embryo, but was 

 probably infertile. 



Growth. — (a) The Young : The length of the young when 

 embarking on independent life is not known, but the type of 

 stricticollis (Gunther) in the British Museum is only 343 mm. 

 (1 foot 1J inch), and appears to be but recently born. 



(b) Maturity : The gravid female above referred to was 

 1,055 mm. (3 feet 5| inches). 



(c) Maximum Length : 1,055 mm. (3 feet 5 \ inches) is the 

 largest measurement I know of. 



Poison. — Nothing known. No experiments have been 

 carried out, and no casualties are on record 



Lepidosis. — (a) Typical — Rostral : Broader than deep ; the 

 portion visible above half to two -thirds the suture between 

 the nasals. Nasals : A single suture usually proceeds from 

 the nostril to the 2nd supralabial. Prefrontals : Touch the 

 2nd supralabials. Frontal : Entire ; longer than broad ; the 

 fronto -parietal sutures rather longer than the fronto -supra- 

 oculars. Supraoculars : Length two -thirds to three-fourths 

 the frontal ; breadth two -thirds to three-fourths the frontal. 

 Parietals : Entirs ; touching the postoculars. Prasoculars : 

 One. Postoculars : One. Temporals : One, well-developed 

 anterior, with sometimes a well-developed posterior. Supra- 

 labials : Seven or eight ; the first four or five usually large, 

 the rest small; 1st and 2nd touching the nasals, 3rd and 4th 

 the eye. Sublinguals : Two pairs ; the fellows of the posterior 

 in contact or separated by one scale. Infralabials : Four ; 

 the suture between the first shorter than that between the 



