428 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



brown band produced forwards to the anterior edge of the 

 frontal, and a patch on the upper lip of the same colour. 

 Elsewhere it is yellow. 



Habits. — Haunts : Essentially marine, but has been found 

 on land in the vicinity of the sea. Its cylindrical body enables 

 it to progress on land with comparative ease, whereas other 

 seasnakes, owing to their highly compressed bodies, can only 

 flounder about without making progress. 



Food. — I know of no special observations having been made 

 in this direction. 



Breeding. — I found, when examining the specimen in the 

 Indian Museum (No. 8,289), that it contained seven eggs, but 

 I omitted to note whether these contained embryos or not. 

 Unfortunately, there is no record of the date of this specimen's 

 capture. 



Growth. — Maximum Length : The largest specimen I have 

 examined was 1,093 mm. (3 feet 7 inches), and was taken by 

 Mr. Owston off the Loo Choo Islands. 



Poison. —Nothing known. 



Lepidosis. — (a) Typical — Rostral : Height greater than 

 breadth, touching six shields ; the rostro -labial sutures twice 

 or more than twice the rest. Interno.sals : A pair ; the suture 

 between them rather longer than that between the prefrontal 

 fellows, about two-thirds the internaso -prefrontals. Pre- 

 frontals : A pair ; the suture between them half or little more 

 than half the praefronto-frontals ; touching the internasal, 

 nasal, praeocular, and supraocular. Frontal : Longer than 

 broad, touching six shields ; all the sutures subequal, or the 

 ironto-parietals rather the longest. Supraoculars : Length 

 about three -fifths that of the trontal, breadth about three- 

 fifths that of the frontal along a line connecting the centres 

 of the eyes. Parietals : Touching the upper postoculars. 

 Nasal : More than half the distance between the eye and the 

 end of the snout. Prseocular : One. Postoculars : Two. 

 Temporals : One anterior and two posterior ; anterior about 

 as long as the supraocular. Supralabials : Seven ; the 1st, 

 2nd, and 3rd touching the nasal ; the 3rd and 4th the eye ; and 



