496 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



north-west it extends through Bahichistan to Transcaspia ; 

 and in the noith-east to Bengal and Assam. Further east it 

 extends through Burma and Indo-China to Southern China 

 and the Chuban Islands and Formosa. The Malay Peninsula, 

 and Malay Archipelago from Sumatra to the Philippines. 



(6) Local : It is a snake of the plains, but maj' be met with 

 in hills even up to an altitude of 6,000 feet. 

 It is a common snake everywhere. 



Genus CALLOPHIS. 



(Greek " kallos " beautiful, " ophis " snake, in allusion to 

 their beautiful coloiu-ation.) 



General Characters — All the species are snaall, only growing 

 to 2|- feet or less. Head moderately depressed, moderately 

 or very short. Snout moderately or very short, gently 

 decUvous, without canthus, and broadly rounded terminally. 

 Eye small, with round pupil. Nostril moderately large, 

 almost wholly contained in the anterior nasal ; occupying 

 about the upper two-thirds of the suture. Neck not or but 

 little apparent. Body moderately or very elongate, stout or 

 slender, cylindrical, of even calibre throughout. Belly 

 rounded. Tail short or Very short, measuring from one- 

 twelfth to one-sixteenth the total length. 



• Identification. — ^The costals in 13 rows in the whole body 

 length taken with the 3rd supralabial touching the postnasal 

 and the eye will indicate the genus. 



Habits.^ — Terrestrial. Diurnal. Very gentle by nature. 

 Sluggish. 



Food. — Subsist mainly on other snakes. 



Poison. — Nothing known of the effect on man. 



Lepidosis.- — Rostral : Touches six shields. Inter nasals : A 

 pair. Prefrontals : A pair. Frontal : Touches six shields. 

 Nasals : Divided. Loreal : Absent. Prxocular : Absent or 



