Reptiles found in Ceylon* 1Q5 



the Families : but on re-examination and comparison with 

 tile various modifications presented by the genera of Typhlop- 

 sidas, I have been induced to place it in the order of Lizards. 

 Cuvier seems to have been in doubt, for though he placed the 

 genus with the Snakes, he also regarded the species as a 

 section of the Typhlopses. Schlegel names the group 

 Pseudo Typhlops. — (Gray's Synopsis.) 



This curiously formed family of Reptiles is known in the 

 Island as Dapat Nay as, or double headed snakes. The natives 

 consider them poisonous, but our experience of their habits 

 makes us believe that they are perfectly harmless, and 

 that they are timid creatures, seldom making their appearance 

 stbove ground ; living chiefly in ant-hills or dunghills, sometimes 

 also several feet deep in rich loamy soil. They feed on ants, 

 small earth-worms and larvae of insects. 



It appears from Dr. Gray's Catalogue, that in the Museums 

 of Europe there are only three species, and of these three 

 only one is from Ceylon, viz., Siluboura Ceylonicus,* many 

 specimens of which we have found in the Kandyan Hills since 

 our work on the Fauna of Ceylon was published. We have 

 also, since the publication of that work, collected four other 

 species, making in all six distinct undescribed or new species 

 of Rough Tails (Uropeltidae) in the Island of Ceylon, which 

 we shall now describe in a connected form. 



Dr. Gray subdivides the family into three groups, and we 

 have added a fourth, to admit of two species, only one of which 

 we have described in the Prodromus. 



Genus. Eiiinophis. Hempr* 



Tail obliquely truncated, upper part rather convex, covered 

 with a small oblong shield, lower edge rounded, simple, rather 

 produced. Head acute, tapering in front. Vent shields in 

 one marginal row. 



* Vide Prodromus Fauna* Zeylanicw. 



