THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 433 



Poison. — Nothing is known of the toxicity of this venom. No 

 casualties in the human subject have been reported, and the 

 poison has not been experimented with in the laboratory. 



BistriJmtion. — From the Persian Gulf to the Malayan Archipelago. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral — Broader than high. Nasals. — In contact 

 behind the rostral ; the siiture from the nostril, when present 

 passes to the 2nd labial. Fnefrontals. — With rare exceptions 

 touch the 2nd labial. Pruiocular. — One, Postoculars. — One (rarely 

 two). Temporals. — One large anterior, succeeded by a posterior 

 of equal size ; the anterior frequently descending to the margin 

 of the lip. Rarely there are two superposed anterior temporals, 

 and the posterior shield is not infrequently replaced b}" small 

 scales. Snpralahials. — G to 8 : the anterior 4, 5 or G usually 

 large and undivided, the rest divided. The ord and 4th usually 

 (rarely the 5th also) touch the eye. Infralahials. — 4 ; the last in 

 contact with 3 or 4 scales behind. Marginals. — Usually one 

 wedged between the 3rd and 4th infralabials (rarely two after the 

 3rd). Sublinguals. — Two well developed pairs, the fellows of 

 each in contact (or the posterior separated.) Costals. — Two 

 headslengths behind the head, usually 25 to 29 (rarely 23 to 31) ; 

 in midbody usually 31 to 35 (rarely 29 to 3G) ; two headslengths 

 before the anus 28 to oG : more or less imbricate, smooth or 

 nearly smooth in the young, feebly or strongly tuberculate in 

 adults. Ventrals. — 282 to 373. Entire thi'oughout except for a 

 few posteriori}^ ; less than twice or hardl}^ twice the breadth of 

 the last costal row. 



Dentition. — I have examined the maxillary teeth of well over a 

 dozen examples, and find there are usually 7 (rarel)^ 6) behind 

 the paired fangs. Palatine. — 7. Pterygoid. — 12 to 13. Mandibular — 

 13 to 15. 



Plate. — Our figures are excellent, and show the commonest form, 

 (Variety bnigmansi) to be met with around our coasts. The 

 ventrals are shown too broad relatively. 



HYDROPIIIS GYANOCINGTUS'' (Daudin). 

 The Chittul. 

 History. — The t3"pe of this species I take to be the specimen in 

 the British Museum from the Sunderbunds, w^hich was one of the 



• I have no hesitation in declarinji: the tuhevculata and crassicollis of Anderson, 

 the dayanus of Stoliczka, and the trachyccps of Theobalds (all of which are 

 kno«n from singrle specimens in the Indian Museum which I have examined) 

 identical with cyanocinchts. Further I think the sublcevis and lapemidoides of 

 Gray, all of which I have examined in the British Museum, will prove to belong to 

 this species. It is more than likely too that the melanocephalus of Gray, and the 

 mclanosoma of Gunther may have to be referred to this species. I have seen the 

 types of each in the British Museum. The hituherculnta of Peters I have not 

 examined, but I see no reason from the description and figure given to diss«ciate 

 it from cyanocinctus. 



