332 



behind the eye ; some specimens have a white, black-edged collar, 

 others two black longitudinal streaks on the head ; others, again, 

 are intermediate in this respect. Lower parts yellowish, with or 

 without a few small black spots, sometimes with a more or less 

 distinct festooned marking on each side. 



Total length 4| feet ; tail 10 inches. 



Hob. Sind, Rajputana, Cutch, Bombay, and Madras Presi- 

 dencies ; Ceylon. 



407. Coluber reticularis. 



Coluber reticularis, Cantor, P. Z. 8. 18.19, p. 51. 

 Compsosoma reticulare, G until, Kept. B. I. p. 245, pi. xxi, fig. D; 

 Anders. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 172; Thcob. Cat. p. 1GG. 



Rostral as deep as broad or a little broader than deep, visible 

 from above ; suture between the internasals much shorter than 

 that between the prsef rentals ; frontal as long as its distance from 

 the end of the snout or a little shorter, as long as the parietals or 

 a little shorter ; loreal longer than deep ; one large prseocular, often 

 with a small subocular below ; two (exceptionally three) postocu- 

 lars; temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; upper labials 8, fourth and fifth 

 entering the eye ; 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin- 

 shields, which are as long as the posterior or a little longer. 

 Scales in 19 or 21 rows, feebly keeled on the posterior part of the 

 body. Ventrals 213-232 ; anal usually undivided ; subcaudals 

 65-76. Brown above, darker behind, anteriorly with squarish 

 dark brown spots, posteriorly with more or less distinct light 

 cross bands ; head uniform pale brown ; lower surface yellowish, 

 spotted with brown or black, or nearly uniform dark brown. 



Total length 4 feet ; tail 9 inches. 



Hob. Eastern Himalayas (3000-4000 feet), Khasi and Ga'ro 

 Hills. 



408. Coluber hodgsonii. 



Spilotes hodgsonii, Gibith. P. Z. S. 1860, p. 150, pi. xxvii. 

 Compsosoma hodgsonii, Gunth. Jiept. B. I. p. 246 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. 

 xxxix, 1870, p. 189, and xl, 1871, p. 430; Theob. Cat. p. 166. 



Eostral as deep as broad, visible from above; suture between 

 the internasals much shorter than that between the prafrontals ; 

 frontal as long as its distance from the end of the snout or a little 

 shorter, shorter than the parietals ; loreal longer than deep, often 

 united with the praefroutal ; one large praeocular (a small sub- 

 ocular below the praaocular rarely present) ; two postoculars ; 

 temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; normally 8 upper labials, fourth and 

 fifth entering the eye ; 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior 

 chin-shields, which are as long as the posterior or a little longer. 

 Scales in 23 rows, feebly keeled on the posterior part of the body. 

 Ventrals 233-246 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 79-90. Brownish 

 olive above, most of the scales black-edged ; young with blackish 



