HYDEOPHIS LONGICEPS. 375 



pairs of chin-shields, in contact with each other. Twenty-three series of scales round the 

 neck ; scales smooth in young examples, provided with central tubercles in old ones ; the 

 tubercles are minute, and each scale on the belly has a group of from two to four in the 

 centre. The ventral shields of the slender anterior part of the body are twice as large as 

 the scales of the adjoining series ; those of the compressed part are split into two, both 

 halves being opposite to each other; they are from 412-440 in number; six small anal 

 shields. The slender part of the body is surrounded by from twenty-eight to thirty blackish 

 rings, which are more or less confluent on the back, the belly being entirely black ; large, 

 rounded, yellomsh-green spots separate the cross bands from one another on the sides. There 

 are no distinct markings on the compressed part of the body, the back of which is uniform 

 dark greenish olive, the sides yellowish, the ventral shields blackish ; the tail, again, has 

 ten blackish vertical bars. 



The yoimg has fifty-three blackish cross bands on the trunk, the anterior of which entirely 

 surround the neck, whilst the posterior extend to the sides only. 



This species is founded on the largest specimen of those from which Cantor made his 

 description of H. gracilis ; as we have received the whole of his collection, I was enabled to 

 convince myself that he has confounded several species under that name. I have seen only 

 two examples of this remarkable species, well distinguished by the exceedingly long neck, &c. 

 The larger is from Pinang, a male, and 42 inches long, the cleft of the mouth measuring 

 5 lines, and the tail 4 inches. The other example is young. 



Hydeophis lapemoides. 



Aturia lapemoides, Gray, Viper. Snakes, p. 46. 



Head narrow, elongate ; body slender anteriorly, moderately elongate posteriorly. Two 

 pairs of chin-shields, the anterior of which are in contact with each other. Two postoculars ; 

 thirty to thirty-two series of scales round the neck. Ventral shields twice as broad as the 

 scales of the adjoining series, 350 in number. Four small prseanal shields. Scales of the 

 young smooth, of the adult with a short central keel. Thirty-seven to forty-three black rings 

 round the body, broadest on the back, narrowest on the side, and again somewhat dilated on 

 the belly; they occupy nearly as much space as the ground-colour : ventral shields blackish: 

 head black above, with a yellow band on each side, the two bands convergent on the nasal 

 plates. Lower parts of the head greyish. Tail black, with a white ring round its base, and 

 sometimes with some other half-rings across its back. 



'■t3'- 



I have seen only two examples : one, from Ceylon, is the typical specimen, and 24 inches 

 long (tail 2|- inches, cleft of the mouth 7 lines) ; the other is young, and from Madras. 



Hydrophis loxgiceps. (Plate XXV. fig. O.) 



Chitulia fasciata, Gray, Viper. Snakes, p. 56. 

 Head narrow, much elongate, twice as long as broad ; body rather slender, more especially 



