24 



SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Identification. — The peculiar character of the terminal 

 caudal shield (see fig. 8) will estabhsh the genus. 



Lepidosis .—i{os<m; . • Touching four shields ; not keeled, 

 length rather shorter than the frontal, about one-third the 

 shielded part of thehead. Nasals : Meeting behind the rostral. 

 Frontal : Longer than broad ; equal to or rather longer than 

 the parietals. (Fig. 7.) 



Fig. 7. — Uropeltis grandis. 

 (X 2.) 



Costals : Last four or five rows progressively increasing in 

 breadth. Anal : Twice the breadth of the ventrals. Sub- 

 ra.udals : Variable. Caudal shield : Nearly as long as the 



