530 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



to the neck and posteriorly ; very rough from the keeled scales. 

 Belly rounded. Tail short, about one-ninth to one-eleventh 

 the total length. 



Identification. — The penultimate costal row is peculiar to the 

 genus, in that each scale touches three above, owing to the 

 obliquity of the superjacent rows. The head above is covered 

 throughout with small scales. The subcaudals are entire. 



Habits.— Desert snal^es, extremely active and vicious ; 

 diurnal. 



Food. — Small mammals, lizards, frogs, scolopendrae, and 

 scorjiions. 



Breeding. — Viviparous. 



Poison. -Very poisonous and frequently fatal to man. 



Lepidosis, — Rostral : Breadth tmce the height ; touching 

 six or more scales ; the rostro-labial sutures longest, twice to 

 thrice the rest. Internasals : Two, divergent ; in contact wdth 

 the rostral or not. Supraoculars : Many, small. Nasals: 

 Entire or divided ; touching or not touching the rostral. 

 8'aboculars : Two to five rows of scales between the eye and 

 the snpralabials. Swpralahials : Ten to fifteen . Suhlitiguals : 

 One pair. 



Gostals : At midbody. Median rows rectiform, keeled, 

 the breadth of the scales about two-thirds their length, and 

 half or less than half the ultimate row ; four to seven lateral 

 rows oblique, with serrated keels. Penultimate row rectiform, 

 keeled, its scales as broad as long. Ultimate row rectiform, 

 keeled for a variable extent posteriorly ; its scales as broad or 

 broader than long ; in 25 to 37 rows. Supracaudals : In odd 

 rows ; keeled to the tip of the tail. Ventrals : 132 to 205 ; 

 rounded. Anal : Entire. Subcaudals : 2 1 to 52 ; entire. 



Dentition. — Maxillary : Two canaliculate fangs placed side 

 by side. Palatine : A short edentulous space anteriorly and 

 posteriorly, teeth few, isodont. Pterygoid, : Isodont, except 

 the last two or three which are reduced. Mandibular : 

 Markedly scaphiodont. 



Distribution. — North .Africa. South Asia as far east as 

 about the 85 meridian. 



Oaly two species are known, one of whicli occurs in Ceylon, 

 viz., carinaiiis. 



