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



Family — Amblycephalid^e. 

 Amblycephalus monticola. 



Three specimens, all 9 ; two were adults, the largest 2 feet 5f inches, 

 the third one of this year's production measuring 8£ inches, was 

 brought in on the 3 2th September. Ventrals 189 to 195, subcaudals 

 76 to 78. The scales are 15 in the whole body length. The praeocular 

 touches the internasal, a very unusual character, as far as I am aware 

 only to be seen in Naia tripudians, and some specimens of XyJopliis 

 perroteti among Indian snakes. In midbody the vertebral scales are 

 seen to be much enlarged, quite as broad as long, and this enlarge- 

 ment is found to originate in the neck by the confluence of two rows 

 of scales, similarly to what obtains in the genus Dendrophis, but 

 different from the genus Bungarus where the enlargement is pro- 

 gressive from behind the parietals. Boulenger (Catalogue, Vol. Ill, 

 p. 443) records the supralabials as 7, the 3rd or 3rd and 4th touch- 

 ing the eye. In all my specimens no labials touched the eye. 



The secretion of the anal glands is custard-yellow. 



The iris is profusely speckled with mustard-yellow. 



In life the prevailing ground colour is a dull orange, much the 

 shade of dried orange peel. 



Food. — One adult had swallowed a large slug ; the other adult 

 contained two large specimens of the same slug " in gastro." The 

 slugs were sent to the Indian Museum, and identified as belonging 

 to the genus Auchenia. 



Family — Viperid^e. 

 Lachesis monticola. 



The "B'sein longkru " of the Khasis. 23 specimens, 2 $, 15 9 ( 

 6 not sexed. The two largest both 9 measured 2 feet 3£, aud 2 feet 

 4f inches. Ventrals : $ 142 to 143, 9 144 to 151; subcaudals : $ 

 45 to 46, 9 37 to 46. Of 18 specimens in which the scales were 

 examined they were as follows : — 



