OLIGODON. 317 



lower parts pinkish, with square black spots mostly arranged in 

 pairs. 



Total length 5 inches ; tail O6. 



ffab. Minhla, Burma. Known from a single specimen. 



Genus OLIGODON, 



Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 519. 



Characters of the preceding genus, but maxillary teeth fewer 

 still (6 to 8), and no pterygoid teeth, the palate being entirely 

 edentulous or with two or three teeth on each palatine. Scales in 

 15 or 17 rows. 



Distribution. 17 species are known, viz. nine from India and 

 Ceylon, seven from the Malay Archipelago, and one (Oliyodon 

 [Homalosomd] melanocepJialus, Jan) from Syria and the Sinaitic 

 Peninsula. 



Synopsis of Indian and Ceylonese Species. 



A. Scales iii 17 rows ; 110 loreal shield. 



a. Portion of rostral seen from above as 



long as its distance from frontal or a 

 little shorter ; latter shield as long as 

 parietals O. ccttusttis, p. 317. 



b. Portion of rostral seen from ahove as 



long as its distance from frontal, which 



is shorter than parietals 0. tracancoricits, p. 318. 



c. Portion of rostral seen from above much 



shorter than its distance from frontal 0. affinis, p. 318. 



B. Scales in 15 rows. 



a. No internasals O. brevicauda, p. 310. 



b. A pair of internasals. 



'. A single postocular O. dorsalis, p. 310. 



b'. Two po.stoculars. 



a". Yentrals not more than 100 ; sub- 



caudals not more than 35. 

 a. Portion of rostral seen from above 

 hardly half as long as its dis- 

 tance from frontal , . O. temjiletonn, p. 320. 



/I Portion of rostral seen from above 

 measuring about two thirds its 



distance from frontal O. sublincatus, p. 320. 



y. Portion of rostral seen from above 

 as long as its distance from 



frontal O. cllioti, p. 321. 



b". Veutrals 158 or more; subcaudals 



more than 35 O. subyriseus, p. 321. 



386. Oligodon venustus. 



Xenodou veiiustum, JertL J. A. 8. K. xxii, 1853, p. 528. 

 Simotes venustus, Giinth, JRcjtt. B. 1. p. 213 ; id. A. M. X. H. ( ) 

 i, 1868, p. 416 ; Theob. Cat. p. 150. 



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

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

 the internasals shorter than that between the prafrontals ; frontal 



