,i,"i() SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



occasions I found small frogs had been ingested, and twice a 

 snake of the species Aspidiira trachyprocla. It also frequently 

 feeds on soft-shelled eggs, which appeared to nie lacertine, but 

 which may have been ophidian. In some instances the 

 contents of these eggs had been completely absorbed, without 

 any visible breach of continuity in the shell, which Wjis empty, 

 collapsed, and longitudinally compressed. The shell resists 

 theactionof the digestive juices, and is dis(tharged in this state. 



Breeding. — (a) The t^cxct : Of 2(i siieeimens collected for me 

 at Hakgalla, 10 Were males and 13 females. The adult males 

 were easily picked out from the females, by their ta.ils being bent 

 round vcutrally like a, slu'iiherd's crook. The male clas])ers, 

 as in other vipers, ai'c biiid on each side, and surmounted 

 bv a formi(lal>le array of falciform ca-rtiJagiuoMs ))r(>ces,'--es. 



(6) Method of Reproiluction It is vi\-iparous in habit. 



((•) SeeiMDi : The only a, vai la.ble date is that of eggs in an early 

 stage of development in a female killed on May lOat. Hakgalla. 

 ■ (d) P( liod of (lenteiliiiii : Kot kiiown. 



Growth. — («) The Youtui .■ Exact length not kiutwn. .My 

 smallest specimen, 158 nrm, (6] inclies) in length, was kilieil 

 in July. 



{b) MitlinUi/ : Not kno\\n. My smallest gra.viil (>-\aniple 

 was 24(1 mm. (!)J inches) long. 



(c) Md.^itiniin Leiuilh : ]My longest specimen was a. male ISS7 

 mm. (l.")J iiiches). My longest, female was 381 mm. (15 inclu's). 



Poison. — Nothing known. 



Lepidosis. — («) 'I'l/pieal- -linslniJ The rostro-nasal stitures 

 are fully twice the rostro-labial. A more or less })t'oiiouneed 

 hump on the snout is covered with S tc 12 .scales. I nierndsids : 

 A pair, se]>arated from one another, but touching the pra>fron- 

 tals behind. Priifrtinldh : A pair, in coTitact with one another ; 

 s?parateil from the supraoculars by a low of small scales. 

 Frontal : Separated from the ])ra'f rontal by three scales (which 

 appear id be disintegrated jiarts of this shield) ; the fronto- 

 supraocular sutures longer than the fronto -parietal s. Supra- 

 oculars : Longer tha,n the frontal ; as broad as the frontal along 

 a line connecting the centres of the o.ycs ; three-fourths to four- 

 fifths the length of the parietals. Nasal: Entire. Siipraloreal : 

 One ; as large as the internasal. Lorcal : One or more, lining t ho 



