COLLECTION OF SNAKES IN THE NILGIRI HILLS. 



581 



Simotes beddomi. — The remarks made under the last-named species lead me 

 to think that the types of this species also collected by Beddome, and 

 presented to the British Museum, and labelled " Wynaad " have the 

 locality incorrectly recorded. These specimens appeared to me typical of 

 S. theobaldi a snake I was very familiar with in Burma. I examined the 

 types of S. beddomi beside specimens of >S'. theobaldi, and could discover no 

 difference (see Vol, XXIII, p. 170 of the Journal). 



The evidence of inaccuracy in Beddome's records is so convincing that 

 one is justified in doubting all his other S. Indian records of locality that 

 have not up to the present time been confirmed by other observers. Ac- 

 cordingly in my key to the species I attach an asterisk to all those whose 

 locality rests on the sole authority of Beddome. 



Zaocys dhumnades. — A specimen of this Chinese snake is in the British 

 Museum labelled "Deccan" on the authority of the late Colonel Sykes. 

 Boulenger's Catalogue, Vol. I, p. 376. This is obviously another flagrant 

 error in habitat. 



Cerberus rhynchops. — The British Museum has a specimen of this snake 

 labelled " Nilgiris " on the authority of Theobald (Boulenger's Catalogue, 

 Vol. Ill, p. 17). This is without doubt another error, for this snake is a 

 denizen of tidal rivers only. 



Key to Families. 



Ventrals not enlarged. — Anal divided into 3 or 4. Eye 

 immobile beneath shields. Pupil round . . 



Ventrals enlarged but not twice last costal. — Anal divid- 

 ed into 2 ; twice breadth of ventrals. Eye immobile, and 

 in one shield (except Platyplectrurus), Pupil round 



Ventrals 2 to 2J times breadth of last costal row. — Anal 

 divided into 3 ; as broad as ventrals. Eye mobile, and 

 surrounded by many shields. Pupil vertical. Costal 

 rows more than 40 . . 



Ventrals 7Hore than 3 

 or divided ; as broad 

 many shields. Pupil 

 40. Two pairs of sublinguals 



Ventrals more than 3 times last costal roiv. — Anal entire ; 

 as broad as ventrals. Eye surrounded by many shields. 

 Pupil vertical. Costal rows less than 40. One pair of 



times last costal roio. — Anal entire 

 as ventrals. Eye surrounded by 

 variable. Costal rows less than 



sublinguals 



Typhlopidce. 

 Uropeltidce. 



BoidcB, 



Colubrid<e. 



Viperidcs. 



Key to Typhlopidce. 



a 







-I 



Name ot species. 



30 



I 

 L 



SO 



y.4 



35 

 1 

 as 



% 



Typhlops porrectas, 



„ teflilomi. 



„ limbricki. 



„ braminus. 



(N),(W) Typhlops /e««fter«. 

 qN) ,, thU'-stonK 



„ aoutas. 



