SNAKES OF CEYLON. 397 



History. — First definitely given specific rank by Gray in 

 1846, though known since 1802 to the same author who con- 

 fused it with R. major. 



General Characters. — A very massive snake growing to 5 

 feet in length. Head large, markedly depressed. Snout 

 rather long, much bowed in profile, broadly rounded terminally , 

 not projecting. Eye moderate. Nostril with usually a suture 

 passing back to the prsefrontal, and another to the 2nd supra- 

 labial. Commissure of mouth little turned up posteriorly. 

 Neck not or hardly evident. Body stout, and cylindrical 

 anteriorly, and about three-fifths the extreme depth ; massive 

 and compressed posteriorly. 



Identification. — The only seasnake in which the 4th, 5th, 

 and 6th supralabials touch the eye, except Hydrus plaiurus. 

 The only seasnake, except cantoris, in which the 1st, 2nd, and 

 3rd supralabials touch the nasals. The absence of any enlarged 

 ventrals and the absence of any sublinguals are also very 

 notable features in its identification. 



Colouration. — Yellowish, with from 24 to 34 black bands or 

 bars, with usually linear vertebral black bars in the intervals. 

 Often there are a dorsal and a ventral series of bars in the 

 middle and posterior parts of the body, which tend to alternate 

 costaUy. The ventral bars may be broken up into several 

 series of spots of variable size {H. guttata, Murray). 



Habits. — ^There is nothing special known. 



Food. — ^No special observations have been made as to the 

 nature of its diet. 



Breeding. — (a) Method of Reproduction : Definitely known 

 to be viviparous. 



(6) Season : The only recorded breeding event concerns a 

 specimen in an advanced stage of pregnancy reported by 

 Boulenger, which was captured in the month of August. 



(c) Period of Gestation : Not known. 



(d) The Brood : Boulenger 's specimen was found to contain 

 twelve young and two sterile eggs. The young varied in 

 length from 305 to 407 mm. (12 to 16 inches). 



