SNAKES OP CEYLON. 171 



Distribution. — (a) General : South India as far north as 

 Orissa ; Ceylon. 



(6) Local : Anamallay and Cuddapah Hills (Beddome's 

 specimens in the British Museum). I have had two from 

 Orissa, and Elliot refers to one killed at Waltair. Haly 

 refers to two from Ceylon without specifying the locaUties. 

 Mr. Drummond-Hay tells me he has never obtained a speci- 

 men. Evidently very uncommon in Ceylon as well as in 

 India. 



Genus ZAOCYS. 

 (Greek " za " very, " okus " swift.) 



General Characters. — For Indian species. Large snakes, 

 some attaining to over 6 feet in length. Head ovate, 

 moderately depressed. Snout rather long, narrowing to a 

 rather subacute extremity ; with an obtusely rounded canthus. 

 Loreal region concave. Eye, rather large, with iris speckled 

 with gold, and round pupil. Nostril large, occupying the full 

 depth of the suture between the nasals. Neck fairly con- 

 stricted. Body elongate, robust, distinctly compressed, 

 attenuating to the neck, and posteriorly. Belly laterally 

 obtusely angulate. Tail long, being about one-fourth to 

 nearly one-third the total length. 



Identification. — The only snakes with the scale rows in even 

 numbers on the body. In most of the species the vertebral 

 row is absorbed in the neck into the uppermost row on the left 

 side. In mucosus this absorption does not occur until behind 

 midbody. 



Habits. — ^Terrestrial. Diurnal. Active and strong. Fierce 

 when provoked. 



Food. — Mammals, birds, lizards, batrachians. 



Breeding. — Oviparous. 



Poison. — ^Non-poisonous. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral : Touches six shields. Irdernasals : A 

 pair. Prsefrontals : A pair. Nasal : Divided. Loreal : One 

 to three. Prxoculars : One. Postoculars : Two. Tem- 

 porals : Two. Supralabials : Eight. Sublinguals : Two 

 pairs, the posterior longer. 



Costals : Longer than broad, keeled in the median rows ; 

 with double apical facets ; the median and last two rows 



