SNAKES OF CEYLON. 193 



(c) Striking Posture : When alarmed it erects the forebody, 

 and flattens the body behind the neck like a cobra. I under- 

 stand from Mr. Millard, who is very familiar with it, that it is 

 on account of its habit of flattening its body, and a general 

 resemblance in colour and appearance to a small cobra when 

 moving, that the Konkani natives so frequently declare it is 

 a female cobra. Specimens of mine gave a lively exhibition 

 of their cobra-like behaviour. They erected themselves 

 probably as high relatively as a cobra would do, and flattened 

 the forebody Very remarkably. 



(d) Nocturnal or Diurnal : It is diurnal in its habits. 



(e) Progression : It is a remarkably lively little snake, 

 so active and alert that its capture is a matter of no little 

 difficulty. 



Food, — A specimen sent to me from Patna had swallowed 

 a rat. StoUczka, however, remarks that it feeds on frogs 

 and worms. 



Breeding. — ^Nothing known. 



Growth. — (a) Early Life : I obtained a small specimen 11^ 

 inches in length, wh^h appeared to have been but recently 

 born or hatched, in July at Fyzabad. Mr. D'Abreu told me 

 he obtained a similar specimen — -length not recorded — in May 

 at Patna. 



( b) Maximum Length, : The largest I have examined was 

 1,283 mm. (4 feet 2J inches). Mr. D'Abreu has told me of a 

 specimen he acquired at Nagpur that taped 1,347 mm. (4 feet 

 5 inches). 



Lepidosis. — (a) Typical — Rostral: The rostro-internasal 

 and rostro-nasal sutures subequal, or the former rather longer, 

 longer than the rostro -labials. Internasals : The suture 

 between them shorter than that between the prsefrontals, and 

 shorter than the internaso-praefrontal. Preefrontals : The 

 sutiu'es between them subequal to, or rather greater than, the 

 prsefronto-frontals ; touching the internasal, postnasal, loreal, 

 prseocular, and frontal. Frontal : The fronto-supraocular 

 sutiu'es fully twice the fronto-parietals. Supraoculars : As 

 long as the frontal, and nearly as broad along a line connecting 

 the centres of the eyes. Nasals : Divided. Loreal : One, 



30 6(6)20 



