SNAKES OF CEYLON. 341 



Habits. — It is not unusual for it to come up tidal rivers 

 forty or fifty miles from the sea. 



Food. — No special observations have been made concerning 

 its diet. 



Breeding. — (a) Method of Reproduction : There is no 

 authentic information on this point. 



(b) Season : My one gravid female had no date of capture 

 recorded. 



(c) The Brood : A specimen from Burma contained nme 

 eggs measuring 38 by 19 mm. (1| by f of an inch). An egg 

 opened by me contained no trace of an embryo, but was 

 probably infertile. 



Growth. — (o) The Young : The length of the young when 

 embarking on independent life is not known, but the type of 

 sfricticollis (Gunther) in the British Museum is only 343 mm. 

 (1 foot 1 J inch), and appears to be but recently born. 



(b) Maturity : The gravid female above referred to was 

 1,055 mm. (3 feet 5^ inches). 



(c) Maximum Length : 1,055 mm. (3 feet 5| inches) is the 

 largest measurement I know of. 



Poison.' — ^Nothing known. No experiments have been 

 carried out, and no casualties are on record 



Lepidosis. — (a) Typical — Rostral : Broader than deep ; the 

 portion visible above half to two -thirds the suture between 

 the nasals. Nazals : A single suture usually proceeds from 

 the nostril to the 2nd supralabial. Prefrontals : Touch the 

 2nd supralabials. Frontal : Entire ; longer than broad ; the 

 fronto -parietal sutures rather longer than the fron to -supra- 

 oculars. Supraoculars : Length two -thirds to three -fourths 

 the frontal ; breadth two-thirds to three-fourths the frontal. 

 Parietals : Enlira ; touching the postoculars. Prxocuktrs : 

 One. Postoculars : One. Temporals : One, weU-developed 

 anterior, with sometimes a weU-developed posterior. Supra- 

 labials : Seven or eight ; the first four or five usually large, 

 the rest small; 1st "and 2nd touching the nasals, 3rd and 4th 

 the eye. Sublinguals : Two pairs ; the fellows of the posterior 

 in contact or separated by one scale. Infralabials : Four ; 

 the suture between the first shorter than that between the 



