432 



SNAKES OK CEYLON. 



advances their definition becomes obscured, especially ven- 

 trally, where they may be suppressed, lea^dng dorsal bars. 

 Head deep bro^vn above, and yellow on the tip of the snout 

 and lips. 



Habits. — It is reported to leave the water sometimes and 

 crawl about on the rocks, and the cylindrical bodily confor- 

 mation explains its capability of doing so. Captain Lloyd, 

 who captiired specimens at Sandaway Island on the Burmese 

 Coast, found them in pairs in January among the submerged 

 rocks well out to sea. It is reputed to be a gentle snake 

 disinclined to bite. 



Food.— A fish extracted by me from one was pronounced 

 by Mr. Boulenger a young glyphiodon. 



Breeding.— Nothing known. 



Growth. — (a) Maximum Length : The longest measurement 

 given by Boulenger is 1,270 mm. (4 feet 2 inches). Gunther 

 says the longest of fifty specimens examined by him is 1,525 

 mm. (5 feet). 



Poison. — Nothing known. No casualties are reported, and 

 the poison has not been put to experimental tests. 



Lepidosis. — (a) Typical — -Rostral : Deeper than broad, 

 touching six shields ; the rostro-labial sutures longest. Inter 

 nasals : A pair. Prxfrontals : Three in one transverse series, 

 not touching any supralabial. Frontal : Entire ; longer than 

 broad, touching seven shields ; the fronto -parietal sutures 

 appreciably the longest. Sufraoculars : Length half to three- 

 fourths the frontal, breadth half to three-fourths the frontal. 

 Parietals : Entire ; subequal to the length of the frontal, 

 touching the upper postoculars. Nasals : Entire. Prse- 

 oculars : One. Postoculars : Two. Temporals : One, fairly 

 well-developed anterior shield. Supralahials : Seven ; all well 

 developed ; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd touching the nasals ; 3rd and 4th 

 the eye. Sublinguals : Two fairly well-developed pairs, the 

 fellows of which are in contact. Infralabials : Four ; 4th 

 largest and in contact with three or four scales posteriorly ; 

 the suture between the first much shorter than that between 



