XENOCHROPHIS. 273 



Atretium schistosum. 



Chittee, Russe/l, Ind. Serp. ii. pi. 4. 

 Coluber schistosus, Baud. Rept. vii. p. 132. 



Tropidonotus schistosus, Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 319. Cantor, Mai. Rept. p. 91. Diim. ^ Bibr. 

 vii. p. 596. 



moestus et surgens, Cantor, Proc. Zool. Sac. 1839, p. 54. 



Tropidopliis schistosus, Gray, Viper. Snakes, p. 69. 



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

 Scales in nineteen rows, those of the dorsal series keeled. Ventrals 147-150; subcaudals 

 80-83. Anterior frontal triangular, broader than long, broadly joined to the rostral, as 

 large as one of the posterior frontals. Vertical five-sided, nearly twice as long as broad, 

 with the lateral margins slightly concave ; occipitals somewhat longer than vertical. Loreal 

 higher than long ; one prseocular, extending on to the upper surface of the head ; three post- 

 oculars. Eight upper labials, the third and fourth of which enter the orbit. Specimens 

 from Madras have nine labials, the fourth and fifth entering the orbit. Temporals rather 

 irregular: the anterior and those joining the occipital are elongate; two are in contact with 

 the postoculars. Each maxillary is armed with sixteen teeth. Upper parts uniform blackish 

 olive ; labial shields, the outer or the two outer series of scales and the lower parts uniform 

 yellowish. Young specimens with a blackish (during life purple) stripe from the orbit, 

 along the anterior part of the body. 



This snake attains to a length of more than 2 feet ; it is found in Ceylon and in Southern 

 India, extending eastwards to Bengal and to the Malayan peninsula, where, however, it is 

 scarce. According to Dumeril and Bibron it is found also in the Philippine Islands and 

 in Madagascar, but this is very doubtful. 



XENOCHROPHIS, Gtkr. 



Body cylindrical, rather stout ; head narrow, elong-ate ; eye with the pupil 

 round. Nostril lateral, situated in the upper part of a sing-le j)late. Shields 

 of the head regular. Scales keeled, in nineteen rows ; ventrals rounded ; 

 anal hifid ; suhcaudals two-rowed. No conspicuously longer teeth ; they are 

 widely set, those in the middle of the maxillary series and those in front of 

 the mandihle beina; rather lar<>er than the others. 



Only one species is known. 



2n 



