274 OPHIDIA. 



Xenochrophis cerasogastek. 



Psammophis cerasogaster, Cantor, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p. 52. 



Tropiclonotus cerasogaster, Cantor, Mai. Rept. p. 92. G'dnth. Colubr. Snakes, p. 79. 



Head narrow, elongate, not very distinct from neck ; body and tail of moderate length ; 

 eye rather small, superciliai-y somewhat projecting. Scales in nineteen rows; anal bifid; 

 ventrals 141-149; subcaudals 60-69. All the shields of the upper part of the head elon- 

 gate : anterior frontals rather pointed in front, not much smaller than posterior. Nasal 

 quadrangular, entire, pierced in the middle of its length by the nostril. Loreal large ; one 

 praeocular, extending on to the upper surface of the head; three postoculars, the lower of 

 which is the largest and sometimes split into two. Nine upper labials, only the fourth enter- 

 ing the orbit. Temporals 3 + 3, two of the anterior being in contact with the postoculars. 

 Each maxillary is armed with twelve slender widely-set teeth, the middle of which are the 

 longest ; ten or eleven teeth in each mandible, those in front being the longest, the others 

 gradually decreasing in length posteriorly ; a series of fourteen similar teeth along each side 

 of the palate. Brown above, sometimes uniform, sometimes with a pair of lighter dorsal 

 bands, sometimes with indistinct quadrangular dark spots. Lower parts purple, marbled 

 with darker, or entirely black ; a bright-yellow lateral band runs from the snout along the 

 upper labials and the edge of the abdomen to the extremity of the tail. Occiput sometimes 

 with a pair of yellow dots. 



This most singular snake is found in the Malayan peninsula, Bengal, Assam, and Khasya, 

 and grows to a length of above 2 feet, the tail measuring one-fourth. It is not numerous. 

 It is very fierce, and attacks in a vertical attitude, but without expanding the anterior part 

 of the bodv. It feeds on frogs and fishes. 



PRYMNOMIODOX, Cojje. 



Form slender, head moderately distinct. Shields of the head normal : 

 two nasals, a loreal, one preeoctdar. Scales keeled, in nineteen series. 

 Ventrals not angulated, about 150 in number; anal entire. Pupil round. 

 Palatine teeth very little longer than pterygoids ; maxillary teeth mitiute 

 posteriorly, becoming much longer anteriorly ; none grooved. 



Only one species is known. 



Prtmnomiodgn chalceus. 



Prymnomiodon chalceus, Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1860, p. 558. 

 I have not seen this snake. It is described from a single example, 12| inches long, 



