296 OPHIDIA. 



Eight upper labials, the fourth and fifth entering the orbit. Two pairs of elongate chin- 

 shields, the anterior being in contact with five lower labials. Scales rather strongly keeled, 

 only the outermost series being composed of perfectly smooth scales. Ventrals 223; anal 

 bifid ; subcaudals 97. The teeth are subequal in size, of moderate strength ; there are eleven 

 in each maxillary. Upper parts uniform greenish olive (in spirits) ; a pair of black dots on 

 the nape of the neck, and some very small, distant, black specks along the vertebral line. 

 Lower parts uniform whitish. 



I have examined only one specimen of this new species, said to be from China; it is 

 21 inches long, the head measuring 10 lines, and the tail 4| inches. 



DENDROPHIS, Boie. 



Body and tail very elongate, slender, compressed ; head rather depressed, 

 oblong-, with the snout obtusely rounded in front. Eye rather large, with 

 round pupil ; nostril lateral, between two nasals. Shields of the head 

 regular. Scales smooth, in thirteen or fifteen rows, those of the vertebral 

 series more or less enlarged, triangular or polygonal ; the other scales much 

 imbricate and elongate, narrow, quadrilateral. Ventral shields keeled ; anal 

 bifid. Posterior maxillary teeth not enlarged or grooved. 



The genus Lendrophis has been formed to comprise those tree-snakes which combine an 

 isodont dentition with an obtuse snout and enlarged, smooth vertebral scales. Three Indian 

 species {B. picta, formosa, and caudolineata) and one from Australia [L. punctulata) have 

 been referred to it*. On close examination, however, it will be found that they all differ 

 from each other in the dentition. First, D. formosa has a truly " syncranterian " dentition, 

 its hind tooth being strong and long ; it therefore approaches that West- African form which 

 I have described as BhamnopMs. In D. picta the maxillary teeth are subequal in size, but 

 the lower jaw has two or three lengthened teeth anteriorly. J), caudolineata has two or 

 three pairs of fang-like teeth above and below, and the last maxillary tooth is not enlarged. 

 Finally, D. punctulata has no longer teeth anteriorly in either of the jaws, and the last 

 maxillary tooth is not longer, but rather stronger, than the preceding. 



Two species are found in British India : — 



Scales in fifteen rows D. [ncta. 



Scales in thirteen rows Z). caudolineata. 



* Dr. van Bleeker's collection of Indian lleptiles contains a Dendrophis dumerilii, wliich, however, is 

 identical with Xene/aphis hexahonotus. Although I am not aware that Dr. Bleeker lias published a 

 description of it, I would not omit to mention it here, as I may have o\erlooked the description. 



