546 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



(b) Anomalies — Supralabials : Sometimes the third is the 

 largest of the series. Infralabials : Sometimes only three. 



Dentition. — From three skulls in my collection. Maxillary : 

 Two canaliculate fangs placed side by side. Palatine : 1 or 

 2 ; a short edentulous space, that would take one tooth, 

 anteriorly and posteriorly. Pterygoid : 17 to 21 ; posterior 

 two-fifths edentulous. Mandibular : 15 to 19. 



Distribution. — (a) General : North Africa as far South 

 as Somaliland on the eastern side. South Asia from 

 Mesopotamia in the west, Peninsular India, except the Ganges 

 valley and a small tract of country on the Malabar Coast, west 

 of the hills and south of about the 15° parallel. Northern 

 Ceylon. 



(b) Local : It is a denizen of the plains, but ascends to a 

 considerable elevation in the hills. It is common on the 

 Mysore plateau at 3,000 feet. On the North-west Frontier 

 it occurs up to about 6,000 feet. In Ceylon it occurs only 

 in the northern part. Ferguson records it from Mullaittivu, 

 with the remark that about a dozen specimens were procured 

 for him there. 



It is a common snake in the plains of India, and especially 

 common in certain tracts. Vidal says that at Ratnagiri 

 Government rewards were paid on 225,721 echides on an 

 average during six years. When the reward was raised 

 tentatively from six pies to two annas per head 115,921 were 

 paid for in eight days ! 



Sub-family 2 CROTALIN/E 



(Named from the type Genus Crotalus.) 



Identification. — Loreal pit present. 

 Distribution. — Asia, North and Central America. 



Arranged in four genera, of which two are represented in 

 Indian limits, and both in Ceylon. 



