300 OPHIDIA. 



series somewhat larger than the others. Ventrals 187-225 , anal bifid ; subcaudals 108-146. 

 Rostral shield much broader than high ; anterior frontals rounded in front, half as large as 

 posterior. Vertical sub triangular, broad in front, narrow in the middle, witli the lateral 

 margins very concave ; superciUaries convex, large ; occipitals rounded behind ; the two 

 nasals are narrow, together as long as the loreal ; one prseocular, reaching to the vertical ; 

 two postoculars. Upper labials nine, the foui-th, fifth, and sixth entering the orbit. Tem- 

 porals 2 + 2-f-2 ; the two anterior the smallest, in contact with the oculars, the two posterior 

 the largest. Each maxillary is armed with twelve teeth, the last of which is somewhat 

 elongate and grooved ; each mandible with three or four long teeth in front, and with a 

 series of smaller ones behind. Purplish above and below, minutely dotted with brown, and 

 with irregular black specks. Head with symmetrical brown longitudinal markings above ; 

 a brown streak from the nostril through the eye to the angle of the mouth. A very old 

 specimen is nearly uniform greyish olive. 



The occurrence of this species in British India is rather doubtful. The typical specimen 

 from General Hardwicke's collection is said to be from Bengal, whence it has never been 

 received since ; on the other hand, specimens from Borneo perfectly agree with it. Mr. Blyth 

 says that he has received it from Mergui ; bvit as he attributes to it seventeen rows of scales, 

 I doubt whether he has properly identified it. Other specimens have been received from 

 the Philippine Islands. It appears also to occur in Sumatra, as we have received with 

 Dr. P. V. Bleeker's collection a specimen named " BendropMs sumatrana, Blkr." Their food 

 appears to consist entirely of saurians (dragons, geckoes, &c.). 



The typical specimen is 30 inches long, the tail measuring 9 inches; another, from the 

 Philippines, is 48 inches long, tail 15 inches. 



FAMILY OF WmV-^^AKE^—DRYIOPHID^. 



Body and tail generally excessively slender and elongate ; head very narrow 

 and long, with tapering snout, ending: in a protruding- rostral shield, which 

 is sometimes modified into a flexible appendage. Mouth deeply cleft ; 

 nostril lateral, small ; eye of moderate size, in all the Asiatic species with a 

 linear, horizontal pupil. Shields of the crown of the head normal. Scales 

 very narrow, much imbricate, in from fifteen to seventeen series ; ventral 

 shields without or with obsolete keels ; subcaudals two-rowed. The Asiatic 

 species have a long, fang-like tooth In the middle of the maxillary, and all 

 are provided with a posterior grooved tooth. 



The species of this family may be at once distinguished by their excessively slender body, 



