314 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVIII. 



I have adhered to the nomenclature set forth in Boulenger's Cata- 

 logue of the Snakes in the British Museum (1893 to 1896). 



With one or two exceptions, the names given me by the Khasis 

 expressed such a diversity of opinion that I have had to abandon any 

 attempt to give vernacular names. 



Family 1.— TYPHLOPIM]. 

 Typhlops diardi. 

 I obtained one very tine adult, 1 foot 6 J inches long of this the 

 commonest Typhlops to be found in the plains of Burma and 

 Assam. Like many other species common in the plains, it occurs up 

 to 5,000 feet altitude or even higher, but becomes increasingly scar- 

 cer up to these elevations. 



The scales anteriorly were 26, in midbody 26, and posteriorly 

 24. This I find the usual arrangement of scales in this species, 

 and the reduction of rows from 26 to 24 is brought about by the 

 absorption of the row next to the median ventral into the median 

 ventral. 



Typhlops tephrosoma, sp. nov. 



A single small specimen of this genus, measuring 7^ inches, was 

 brought to me on the 24th of August, which is sufficiently distinctive 

 to warrant specific rank. 



Description. — Snout rounded ; nostrils lateral. Rostral. Upper por- 

 tion about one-third the width of the head, not extending as far back 

 as a line connecting the anterior edges of the eyes. Nasal. Not 

 completely divided, the superior suture issuing from the nostril not 

 reaching the rostral ; the inferior suture running to the 2nd labial. 

 Praocular. Subequal to the ocular, in contact with the 2nd and 3rd 

 labials. Eyes. Very indistinct and small. Ocular touching the 3rd 

 and 4th labials. Diameter of body g^th the body length. Scales. 

 Anteriorly 28, midbody 28, posteriorly 24. Colour. Pale ashy grey 

 rather darker dorsally. 



None of the other species found within our Indian area has the 

 scales in 28 rows, except acutus, a very distinct form, peculiar speci- 

 ally in the conformation of the snout. 



Tephrosoma is most like diardi, differing in the scales numbering 

 28, the rostral not extending as far back as the eyes, the small indis- 

 tinct eyes, and the colour. 



