294 OPHIDIA. 



GONYOSOMA OXTCEPHALUM. 



Coluber oxyceplialus, Boie, his, 1827, p. 537. 



Gonyosoma viride, Wagl. Icon. tab. 9. 



Hcrpetodryas oxyceplialus, Schleg. Phys. Serp. p. 189. pi. 7. figs. 8 & 9; and Abbild. taf. 44. 



figs. 1-9. Cantor, Mai. Kept. p. 80. 

 Alopecophis chalybseus, Gi-ay, Ann. ^ Mag. Nat. Hist. 1849, iv. p. 247. 

 Gonyosoma oxyceplialum, Bum. ^ Bibr. vii. p. 213. 

 ? Aepidea robusta, Halloivell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1860, p. 488. 



Scales in twenty-five rows, rather elongate and pointed, smooth, with a pair of apical 

 grooves. Anterior frontals as broad as long, one-third the size of posterior. Vertical large, 

 very broad anteriorly ; occipitals rounded behind. Loreal very elongate ; one large prse- 

 orbital, in contact with the vertical ; two postorbitals, the lower rather smaller than the 

 upper. Two labials enter the orbit ; there are four or five before, and three or four behind, 

 the orbit. Ventrals 236-263; anal bifid; subcaudals 138-149. Sea-green, paler below; 

 a blackish line runs from the nostril to the angle of the mouth ; tail generally ochre-brown, 

 separated from the trunk by a yellow ring. Sometimes entirely green. 



This snake occurs in many of the large islands of the Archipelago — Java, Celebes, Borneo, 

 the Philippines, — at Pinang, and in Tenasserim. We have a specimen 82 inches long, the tail 

 measuring 19 inches. It is described as exceedingly strong and fierce, defending itself fero- 

 ciously when attacked. It raises nearly the anterior third vertically from the ground before 

 it strikes. The form and colour of the body clearly indicate its thoroughly arboreal habits. 



Gonyosoma gramineum. (Plate XXIII. fig. D.) 



Body and tail rather elongate, strongly compressed; head flat, very distinct from neck, 

 with the snout of moderate length. Eye of moderate size, with round pupil; nostril an 

 oblique slit between two nasals. Scales smooth, with tw^o apical grooves, not elongate, in 

 nineteen rows. Rostral shield as high as broad, rounded above, just reaching the upper sur- 

 face of the head ; anterior frontals subquadrangular, ratlier broader than long, half as large 

 as posterior; vertical five-sided, much longer than broad, with the lateral margins slightly 

 convergent, and with an obtuse angle behind ; occipitals truncated behind. Loreal square ; 

 prseocular extending on to the upper surface of the head, but not reaching the vertical ; 

 two postoculars ; nine upper labials, the fourth, fifth, and sixth of which enter the orbit ; 

 temporals 2 + 2 + 2, scale-like, the two anterior in contact with the oculars. Two pairs of 

 chin-shields, subequal in length, in contact with seven labials. Ventrals 203 ; anal bifid ; 

 subcaudals 100. Each maxillary is armed with about thirteen small teeth, equal in size. 

 Ventral shields keeled, bent up the sides. Upper and lateral parts uniform green, lower 

 parts pale greenish ; hinder part of the tail reddish olive. 



We have seen only one example of this species, from one of Griffith's collections, and 

 probably from Khasya. It is 14^ inches long, the tail measuring 3^ inches. 



