356 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



B. — An intermediate form between A and C, has complete 

 bands anteriorly and dorsal bars posteriorly. It 

 may be compared to variety A (3) of cyanocincta. 

 It is a rare form, a good example of which is in the 

 British Museum, presented by Dr. Henderson from 

 Madras. 



C. — With dorsal bars throughout and no intermediate 

 vertebral spots. It may be compared to variety D 

 of cyanocincta. It is a rare form, of which I have 

 seen examples from Karachi and Bombay. With 

 this I would place the temporalis of Blanford. 



Habits. — It is a strong and active swimmer, and from its 

 size might prove to be a very disagreeable foe to encounter in 

 the water. Evans and I had one from Moungmya about 

 fifty miles up the river. 



Food. — It feeds on fish that have an elongate eel-like con- 

 formation. Those I have found in the stomach appeared to 

 be the same as those submitted by me to Dr. J. R. Henderson 

 extracted from the stomachs of gracilis. These were pro- 

 nounced mursenids of the genus Ophichthys, either boro or 

 orientalis (McClelland). 



Breeding. — (a) The Sexes : Males appear to be more 

 numerous than females. In the two broods mentioned below, 

 where the young could be sexed, there were fifteen males to 

 six females. I have examined the foetuses of three broods 

 critically and find there is no disparity in the length of the 

 sexes before birth. In the females the costals are consistently 

 slightly more numerous than in the males, and the ventrals 

 are usually more numerous than in males. The median 

 tubercles on the scales are rather more pronounced in males 

 even before birth. 



The genitalia of the males are subcylindrical organs, slightly 

 increasing in girth distally. They are studded with minute, 

 closely-set villous processes in the foetus all directed towards 



