SIMOTES. 313 



Simotes multifasciatus, Jan, Icon. Ophid. 12, pi. iv, fig. 2. 

 Simotes semifasciatus, Anders. J. A. S. B. xl, 1871, p. 16 ; Theob. 

 Cat. p. 151. 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above as long as its 

 distance from the frontal or a little shorter ; suture between the 

 internasals usually shorter than that between the prsefrontals ; 

 frontal as long as its distance from the end of the snout, as long 

 as the parietals ; loreal usually longer than deep ; prseocular single, 

 usually with a small subocular below, between the third and fourth 

 labials ; one or two postoculars ; temporals 1 + 2 ; upper labials 8, 

 fourth and fifth entering the eye ; 3 or 4 lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin-shields one half or 

 less than one half the si/e of the anterior. Scales in 17 rows. 

 AVntrals 160-180 (196) ; anal undivided ; subcaudals 34-39. Pale 

 brown, purplish or reddish above ; markings on the head very in- 

 distinct ; some specimens (S. cinereus) uniform above and below ; 

 others (S. multifascicitug, S. semifasciatus) with more or less distinct, 

 narrow, broken, blackish cross-bands above, and squarish brown 

 blotches below ; a specimen from Teuasserim in the British Museum 

 is intermediate between the two varieties. 



Total length 30 inches ; tail 3. 



Hab. Eungpore, Bengal; ISiiga Hills, Assam; Tenasserim, 

 Camboja, Southern China. 



379. Simotes octolineatus. 



Russell, Ind. Serj). ii, pi. xxxviii. 

 Elaps octolineatus, Sckneid. Hist. Amph. ii, p. 299. 

 Simotes octolineatus, Dum. # Bibr. Erp. Gen. vii, p. 684, pi. Ixxxii, 

 fig. 3 ; Jan, Icon. Oplnd. 12, pi. v, fig. 1. 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above a little shorter 

 than its distance from the frontal : suture between the internasals 

 nearly as long as that between the praefrontals ; frontal longer than 

 its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals ; 

 loreal as long as deep ; prseocular single ; two postoculars ; tem- 

 porals 2 + 2 ; upper labials 6, third and fourth entering the eye ; 

 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior 

 chin-shields about two thirds the length of the anterior. Scales in 

 17 rows. Ventrals 165-197; anal undivided ; subcaudals 51-61. 

 Yellow with six black longitudinal stripes, or black with five yellow 

 longitudinal lines which are much narrower than the interspaces 

 between them ; head yellow, the two median dorsal bands meeting 

 on the frontal ; a black crescentic cross-baud anteriorly, passing 

 through the eyes, and an oblique band on each side from the parietal 

 shield to below the angle of the mouth. Lower surface uniform 

 or with a series of black spots on each side of the ventrals, some- 

 times confluent into a line. 



Total length 27 inches ; tail 4. 



