TROPIDONOTUS LEUCOMELAS. 271 



Tkopidonotus tigeinus. 



Tropidonotus tigrinus, Boie, his, 1826, p. 206. Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 315, and Faun. Japon., 



Ophicl. tab. 4. 

 Amphiesma tigrinum, Du7n. Sf Bibr. vii. p. 732. 

 Tropidonotus lateralis, Bert hold, Gott. Nachr. 1859, p. 180. 

 orientalis, G'dnth. Ann. ^ Mag. Nat. Hist. 1862, January, pi. 9. fig. 3. 



Head of moderate length, rather depressed, distinct from neck ; body and tail of moderate 

 length; eye of moderate size. Scales in nineteen rows. Ventrals 152-168; subcaudals 

 62-80. Anterior fi-ontals truncated in front, more than half as large as posterior. Two prse- 

 oculars, the upper extending on to the upper surface of the head ; four (three) postoculars. 

 Loreal square ; seven upper labials, the third and fourth entering the orbit ; temporals 1 + 2. 

 Each maxillary is armed with ten or twelve slender teeth, slightly increasing in strength 

 posteriorly; at a short distance behind this series there is another tooth, stronger and 

 longer than the others. Greenish or brownish olive, with three series of subquadrangular 

 black spots ; a series of reddish spots on the anterior part of the side, these spots alternating 

 with the black ones. Belly with a series of rounded small black spots anteriorly, nearly 

 entirely black posteriorly ; neck with an oblique black spot on each side. A black spot 

 below the eye, on the suture between the fourth and fifth labials ; a black blotch on the 

 temple descending obliquely to the angle of the mouth. 



This species is the representative of the European T. natrix in Japan and Northern China, 

 and attains to the same size. 



Tropidonotus leucomelas. (Plate XXII. fig. I.) 



Head rather short, thick, distinct from neck ; body and tail of moderate length ; eye of 

 moderate size. Scales in nineteen rows, strongly keeled; anal bifid. Ventrals 129; sub- 

 caudals 61. Anterior frontals truncated in front, not quite half as large as posterior. 

 Vertical large, five-sided, with parallel lateral margins and with an obtuse angle behind ; 

 occipitals not much longer than vertical, rounded behind. Loreal quadi-angular. One 

 praeorbital, reaching to the upper surface of the head; three postorbitals. Seven upper 

 labials, the fourth being elongate and forming the entire lower margin of the orbit. Tem- 

 porals elongate, 2 + 3. Each maxillary is armed with twelve teeth, gradually increasing in 

 length behind ; at a very short distance behind this continuous series there is a very long 

 posterior tooth. Black above, with twenty-three very narrow white rings round the trunk ; 

 belly white anteriorly, brownish posteriorly. Neck with a broad black collar, behind which 

 is a yellow rmg as broad as the collar. Head uniform greenish olive. 



The single specimen of this very distinct species is evidently young, 8 inches long, the tail 

 measuring If inch. It is said to be from Pinang. 



