SNAKES OF CEYLON. 105 



Green only acquired one, and the British Museum collection 

 contained only five. The exact localities are in most cases 

 not specified, but Haly mentions one from Balangoda and 

 another from Udugama, and Green's example was from 

 Peradeiiiya. These records make it appear a hill snake. 

 Mr. Drummond-Hay tells me it is uncommon up-country. 

 He obtained one at Punagalla estate, Yatiyantota district 

 (below 3,000 feet), one from Lennock estate in the centre of 

 the Uva patanas (3,000 to 4,000 feet), and one or two from 

 Balangoda district (about 3,000 feet). 



Amphiesma stolata. 



(Latin " stolatus " dressed, signifying decked.) 



The Buff-striped Keelhack. 



Tamil : " nikkattan-kutty," " kaliyan-kutty," and " nikkat- 

 tan pambu," all implying "the snake that cannot kill" 

 (I am informed by Dr. J. R. Henderson). Sinhalese : " ahara 

 kukka*" (Ferguson). 



Synonymy. — Coluber stolatus, C. bilineatus, Elaps bilineatus, 

 Tropidonotus ruficeps. 



General Characters. — It is a graceful little reptile with the 

 body rather short and the tail rather long, viz., about one- 

 fourth the total length of the snake. Anteriorly the body 

 attenuates somewhat to the head, so that the neck is fairly 

 evident, and posteriorly reduces perceptibly in girth to the 

 Vent, where, in females especially, a further reduction marks 

 the commencement of the tail. Dorsally the body and tail 

 are rough from the sharply-keeled scales. The head is rather 

 depressed, evenly rounded from the crown to the side of the 

 face, especially over the muzzle, and has the snout moderately 

 narrowed. The eye is large, with a round pupil and an iris 

 flecked with gold, especially at the pupillary margin. The 



* Inquiry brings to light the following story from old Ceylon records : 

 It appears that the old Ceylon Kings kept a jester about the Court, 

 and on one occasion, at a garden party, the King CEiae across a snake 

 called " Ahan-kukka " (synonymous with the Pali word for the tame 

 snake " man-balla "), meaning literally " ahan," I am. "kukka," 

 a dog. He called for the jester, and seeking to have some fun at his 

 expense, asked him before his courtiers and assembled guests the name 

 of the snake, but the jester was quickwitted enough to discover the 

 King's intention, and replied untruthfully " ahara kukka," meaning 

 " a dog looking for food," since which the snake has been so known. 



19 6(6)20 



