326 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XV III. 



so soft a hue that the skin looked like velvet. This merged into 

 yellowish-green anteriorly, and yellow posteriorly, the latter merging 

 into a rich black on the tail. The black margins to the scales served 

 to enhance the beauty of the dorsal green. The head was olive- 

 brown with a bright yellow patch low on the temporal region. The 

 chin and throat were white, sparsely speckled at first, more heavily 

 later, with light cerulean blue, which merged to blue-green, then 

 pale greenish, and, finally, yellow in the length of the snake. Some 

 grey speckling was seen beneath the tail. 



Zamenis korros. 



Two specimens. A $ 5 feet 3£ inches long, the tail 1 foot 10f 

 inches. Ventrals, 178. Subcaudals, 145. The scales in this species 

 are 15 anteriorly, 15 in midbody, and 11 posteriorly. In the reduction 

 from 15 to 13 the 3rd row above the ventrals disappears, being- 

 absorbed into the 2nd or 4th rows. In the step from 13 to 11 the 

 same absorption occurs. 



On the 16th of September I saw two specimens on the Ghat 

 road below Shillong (4,500 feet). The first, about 4 or 5 feet 

 long, was lying by the side of the road, in an attitude of attention 

 with head and forebody erect, gazing at me, and remained so 

 long enough for me to make a swift dart at it. I caught and 

 examined it, fixed its identity, and then released it. The second I 

 met face to face, but failed to capture. It was gazing out of 

 a low bush, and on sighting me withdrew with great alacrity, and 

 disappeared. 



Coluber porphyraceus. 



Three specimens, 1#, 19, and the sex of one was not determined. 

 The $ was 2 feet 11 inches long, the 9 of similar dimensions. In 

 the $ the tail was \ inch longer than in the 9 • The scales in this 

 species are 19 anteriorly, 19 iu midbody, and 17 behind. The reduc- 

 tion from 19 to 17 is brought about by the fusion of the 4th and 

 5th rows above the ventrals. 



The secretion of the anal glands is brown in colour. All these 

 specimens were dark, and of a peculiarly handsome hue, much 

 resembling that of raw beef. I mention this, because it is not unusual 

 to meet with light specimens in which the prevailing hue is some- 

 what of a dove colour. 



