38 SNAKES 01' CEYLON. 



C'nstals Two heads -lengths behind head 19, midbody 17, 

 tAvo heads-lengths before vent 17. Ventrals : 161 to 182 

 (cJ 161 to 176, $ KiS to 182) (152 Boulenger). Subcaudals : 3 

 to 6 {J 4 to 6, $ 3 to 4). Caudul shield : About as long as 

 the shielded part of the head. 



Dentition. — From one skull in my collection. Maxillary : 

 6 ? to 7 '! Palatine : Edentulous. Pterygoid : Edentulous. 

 Mayidihulnr : 8 ? 



Distribution. — (o) denerul : Peculiar to Ceylon. 



(h) Local : Mr. Drummond-Hay tells me it is a common 

 snake in the Ratnagiri. Balangoda, and \'atiyantota Districts 

 in hills below about 3,000 feet elevation. Twenty-two in the 

 (Colombo Museum labelled trexchjamis from the Bulatota 

 estate, Rakwana District, Province of Sabaragamuwa, are 

 pla)}icei)K. 



Rhinophis trevelyanus (Kelaart) (named in honour of 

 Mr. Trevelyan). 



Trevelyan.s Rhlnnphis (or Earth ,Snake). 



Synonymy. — Depatnaya tnvdyana, Mytilia r/crrardi, Rhino- 

 p/ius hotnolepis. 



History. — Described and christened by Kelaart in 1853. 



General Characters — Grows to about 11 niches. Head 

 small. iSnout acute, keeled above. Eye very small, less than 

 one-third the horizontal diameter of the ocular shield. Body 

 short ; the diameter at midbody about one twenty -sixth to one- 

 thirtieth the total length. Tail very short. 



Identiflcation. — The caudal shield as long as the shielded 

 2)art of the head, rostral longer than frontal, and ventrals 188 

 to 204 will distinguish this from the other species. 



Habits. — Gunther saj^s it has been found 3 or 4 feet beneath 

 the soil. 



Food. — The many 1 examined had taken nothmg but earth- 

 worms. 



