306 OPHIDIA. 



by the frontals, which are bent downwards and in contact with the labials. The single prse- 

 ocular forms a rather long suture with the vertical ; two postoculars. Generally two upper 

 labials form the lower edge of the orbit, the anterior of which is divided into an upper and 

 a lower portion, and sometimes into three or even four. Bright grass-green, with a bronze 

 shade on the back ; on the anterior part of the trunk the skin between the scales is white or 

 black, these two colours forming alternate cross bands when the animal expands that portion 

 of the body ; a yellow stripe runs along each side of the pale-green abdomen. Immature 

 specimens show a pair of fine yellowish central lines along the abdomen. 



Examples sometimes occur which are brownish-olive instead of green, but they retain the 

 yellow abdominal bands; they are of small size, and have been named Bryinus fuscus (Dum. 

 & Bibr. vii. p. 812). 



We have received this snake only from Ceylon and from the peninsula of India ; the other 

 localities mentioned — Khasya, Sumatra, Java, Celebes, and the Philippine Islands — are more 

 or less suspicious ; at all events, it is much scarcer in those parts than in Western India : 

 Passerita mycterizans and Tragops prasinus are supplementary species with regard to their 

 geographical distribution. It attains to a length of more than 6 feet, the tail being rather 

 more than one-third*; it appears to remain smaller in Ceylon, the largest specimen I have 

 seen from that island being only 40 inches long. It feeds on birds and lizai'ds, and its habits 

 are the same as those of Tragops prasinus. 



Passerita pukpurascens. (Plate XXIII. fig. F.) 



Passerita mycterizans, vai". Dryinus fuscus, Gunth. Colubr. Snakes, p. 161 (not Dum. ^ Bibr.). 



fusca, Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1860, p. 554. Tennent, Nat. Hist. Ceylon, p. 307 



c- fig- 

 Very similar to the preceding species. Scales smooth, without apical groove, those of the 

 vertebral series rather larger and broader than the others, in fifteen rows. Ventrals 194; 

 anal bifid ; subcaudals 154. The rostral appendage is formed by the rostral shield, which is 

 prolonged, foui--sided, and verrucose on its upper surface ; the length of the rostral shield is 

 rather more than one-half of that of the snout without appendage. Occipitals small, pointed 

 and divergent behind. Loreal none, replaced by the frontals, which are bent downwards 

 and in contact with the labials. The single prseocular reaches the vertical ; two postoculars. 

 Two upper labials below the orbit, the anterior divided into an upper and a lower portion, some- 

 times into three. Brownish grey, marbled with purple and dotted with brown, above and 

 below ; on the anterior dilatable part of the trunk the skin between the scales is white or 

 black, these two colours forming alternate cross bands when the animal expands that portion 

 of the body ; no abdominal band. The shields of the upper surface of the head are brown, 

 with broad yellowish edges ; a brown band runs from the rostral appendage through the eye 

 to the side of the neck. 



* Specimen from Madras 67 inches long, tail 25 inches; another, 44 inches, taU 16 inches; a third, 

 15 inches, tail Sj inches; specimen from Ceylon 40 inches, tail 14 inches. 



