SNAKES OF OEYLON. 203 



(6) Local : It is an extremely common snake in India 

 between about 1,500 and 6,000 feet, but decidedly rare at the 

 level of the plains. Inmost locahties where it has been found 

 at plain level this has been near to hills. 



In Ceylon Haly in 1886 said of it: "A very common up- 

 country snake. The collection {i.e., Colombo Museum) 

 possesses no specimen from the low-country." Later in 1891 

 he records one from Colombo. This might be accounted for 

 by jugglers or others transporting a snake from the hills. 



Gtenus ASPIDURA. 



(Greek " aspis " shield, and " oura " tail, in allusion to the 

 subcaudal shields, which are unusual in being entire.) 



General Characters. — Small snakes, the largest attaining to 

 about 20 inches. Head moderately elongate, broadest about 

 the posterior edges of the parietals, from which it gradually 

 narrows, to a subacute extremity ; moderately depressed. 

 Snout rather long, without canthus. Eye small with round 

 pupil. Nostril small ; situated at the lower part of the suture 

 dividing the nasals. Neck not constricted. Body rather 

 short, cylindrical, fairly robust, of even calibre throughout. 

 BeUy rounded. Tail short or very short, varying from one- 

 sixth to one-twelfth the total length. 



Habits. — ^Terrestrial. Diurnal. Inoffensive. 



Food. — Earthworms and grubs. 



Breeding — Oviparous as far as is known. 



Poison. — ^Non -poisonous. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral : Touches five shields. Internasal: One. 

 Praefrontals : A pair ; touching the internasal, postnasal, 2nd 

 and 3rd supralabials, the prseocular when present, the 4th 

 supralabial when a praeocular is not present, the eye, and 

 supraocular. Loreal: Absent. Preeocular: Present or absent. 

 Postoculars : Two. Temporal: One. Supralabials: Six; 6th 

 longest ; 1st and 2nd touching the nasals, 4th the eye, 5th 

 and 6fch the temporal. Sublinguals : Two pairs ; the anterior 

 twice or more than twice as long as the posterior. Posterior 



