ABLABES. 305 



23 rows, without apical pits ; ventrals not augulate laterally ; tail 

 moderate or long ; subcaudals in two rows. 



Distribution. South-eastern Asia. Terrestrial or subarboreal. 



Cyclophis catenatus and G. (Chloropliis) oldhami, Theob. Cat. 

 Rept. As. Soc. Mus. 1868, pp. 49, 50, described as from near Simla, 

 are South-African Snakes, viz. Homalosoma lutrLv, L., 

 hoployaster, OHhr. 



Synopsis of Indian, Ceylonese, and Burmese Species. 



A. Eye measuring more than half length of 

 snout. 



a. Nasal shield single, united with loreal; 



scales in 15 rows A, culamariu, p. 305. 



b. Nasal divided or seinidivided. 



a'. Scales in 13 rows A. scriptus, p. 305. 



b'. Scales in 15 rows. 



a". 7 upper labials A.frenatm, p. 306. 



b". 8 upper labials A. dona, p. 3015. 



13. Eye not more than half length of snout. 



. Scales in 15 rows A. rappii, p. 307. 



b. Scales in 17 rows . . . , A. nicobaricnsfs, p. 307. 



c. Scales in 19 rows A. porphyraceus, p. 308. 



367. Ablabes calamaria. 



Ovclophis calamaria, Giinth. Cat. Col. Sn. p. 250 ; id. Rept. B. I. 



p. 231, pi. xvii, fig. K ; Thtob. Cat. p. 158. 

 Homalosoma balioluui, Jan, Icon. Ophid. 13, pi. iv, fig. 4. 

 Cyclophis nasalis, Giinth. Rept. B. I. p. 231, pi. xvii, fig. M; Theob. 



1. c. p. 158. 



Rostral broader than deep, visible from above ; nasal single and 

 united with the loreal ; suture between the internasals as long as that 

 between the prsefrontals or shorter ; frontal longer than its distance 

 from the end of the snout, slightly shorter than the parietals ; one 

 prseocular (rarely two) ; two postoculars, only the upper in contact 

 with the parietal ; temporals 1+2 ; 7 upper labials, third and fourth 

 entering the eye ; 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin- 

 shields, which are larger than the posterior. Scales in 15 rows. 

 Ventrals 130-154 ; anal divided ; subeaudals 64-76. Pale brown 

 above, with or without two more or less distinct black longitudinal 

 lines ; lower parts uniform yellowish. 



Total length 16 inches ; tail 4-25. 



Hob. Ceylon, Madras Presidency, Bombay. 



368. Ablabes scriptus. 



Ablabes scriptus, Theob. Journ. Linn. Soc. x, 18(38, p. 42 ; id. Cut. 

 Rept. As. Soc. Mm. 18(38, p. 49 ; id. Cat. p. 154. 



X 



