734 JOURNAL, BGMBA Y NATURA L EISTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol. XVIII. 



The possible factors which may contribute to a want of uniformity, 

 other than the supposition that the venom of several species has been 

 mixed, are each taken by itself trifling, and one would expect a more 

 proximate agreement in results than that actually obtained. 



Lepidosis. Rostral. — Touches 6 shields; the rostro-nasal sutures 

 longest and about twice the rostro-labial which are shortest. Internasals, 

 — The suture between the fellows about half that between the pre- 

 frontal fellows : two to three-fifths the internaso- prefrontal. 

 Prefrontals. — The suture between them greater than ihe pne- 

 fronto-frontal ; touch the internasal, postnasal, prasocular, supra- 

 ocular, and frontal. Frontal* — Touches 6 shields; which are subequal or 

 the fronto-parietals largest. Supraoculars. — Breadth about half, length 

 about two-thirds the frontal. Nasals. — Touch the 1st and 2nd supra- 

 labials, the suture from the nostril passing to the 1st. Prceoculars — 

 One. Postoculars. — Two. Temporals. — One anterior touching the 5th 

 and 6th supralabials. Supralabials 7 ; the 2nd as broad as the 3rd, 

 the 3rd and 4th touching the eye. Tnfralabials, — The 4th is much the 

 largest of the series, and touches 2 scales behind. Sublinguals. — 

 Two pairs ; the anterior largest, the posterior touching only the 

 4th of the infralabial series. Costals. — Two heads lengths behind 

 the head 15, midbody 15, two heads lengths before the anus 15, 

 the last row deeper than the rest ; keels absent ; apical pits 

 absent. Vertebrals. — Broader than long in almost the whole body 

 length, about twice as broad as the uppermost costal.* Ventrals. — 

 200 to 218. Anal. — entire. Subcaudals. — 38 to 50 ; all entire. 

 Dentition and Jaws. — The maxilla extends forward as far as, and is 

 as long as the palatine. Anteriorly it supports two fangs which are 

 placed side by side. The fangs are canaliculate and the seams where 



* The enlargement begins gradually in the neck, and usually without a coalescence of 

 scales. In this respect it differs from the species of Dendrophis and Dendrelaphis where 

 the enlargement is due to a fusion of the 3 median rows, and begins therefore suddenly. 

 Posteriorly the enlargement persists along the whole length of the tail, a peculiarity seen 

 in the kraits alone of all the snakes that exhibit enlarged vertebrals. Here the vertebral 

 row gradually reduces in breadth, and suddenly enlarges at intervals owing to an absorption 

 into it of the rows on each side (Fig. E., Diagram I.). In other snakes with enlarged 

 vertebrals the enlargement ceases above the anus (Fig. F., Diagram I.). In these as in 

 most other snakes the scales which have been in an odd number of rows become arranged 

 above the anus in even rows, and the absorption of rows is brought about by a fusion of the 

 two uppermost supracandals on each side, at each step (Fig. G., Diagram I.). 



