TEOPIDONOTUS HIMALAYANUS. 265 



TrOPIDOXOTUS SUBMINIATUS. 



Tropidonotus subminiatus, [Reinw.) Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 313. Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 



1855, xxiii. p. 296. 

 Amphiesma subminiatum, Dum. ^ Bibr. vii. p. 734. 



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

 length; eye of moderate size. Scales in nineteen rows. Ventrals 142-168; subcaudals 

 70-88. Anterior frontals subtriincated in front ; occipitals somewhat pointed behind, longer 

 than vertical. One prseocular, extending on to the upper surface of the crown ; three post- 

 oculars. Loreal square. Eight upper labials, the third, fourth, and fifth entering the orbit ; 

 temporals rather irregular — there are always two elongate anterior temporals, in contact with 

 the postoculars. Each maxillary is armed with twelve slender and rather distant teeth; 

 there are one or two much longer and stronger teeth behind, not continuous with the series 

 of small teeth. Greenish above, uniform or with small indistinct black and reddish-white 

 spots ; the vicinity round the eye whitish, with an oblique triangular black spot below, 

 occupying the suture between the fifth and sixth labials. Belly white, with an irregular 

 series of black dots on each side. Young specimens with a broad black collar edged with 

 yellow behind ; this collar gradually disappears with age. 



This species belongs to the fauna of the eastern portion of the Indian continent and of 

 some of the islands ; I have examined specimens from China, Cochinchina, Siam, Khasya, 

 Sikkim, the Tenasserim coast, and Java *. One of the largest examples measures 42 inches, 

 the tail being 10^ inches. 



Tropidonotus himalayanus. (Plate XXII. fig. H.) 



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

 . rather slender ; eye of moderate size. Scales in nineteen rows, strongly keeled. Ventrals 

 171 ; subcaudals 85. Anterior frontals truncated in front, half as large as posterior; vertical 

 five-sided, with the lateral margins convergent, and with a right angle behind ; occipitals 

 rather longer than vertical, rounded behind. Loreal square ; one pra^ocular, reaching to the 

 upper surface of the head ; three postoculars ; eight upper labials, the fourth and fifth of 

 which enter the orbit. Temporals 1+2. Each maxillary is armed with a continuous series 

 of eighteen slender teeth, followed at some distance by one or two strong but not very long 

 posterior teeth. Brownish olive above, with two dorsal series of numerous small quadran- 

 gular transverse yellow spots, more distinct on the posterior half of the trunk than on the 

 anterior ; an indistinct yellow collar, behind which the trunk is variegated with yellowish ; 

 upper labials with a narrow black hinder edge. Clirn and throat uniform yellow ; anterior 

 half of the belly clouded with brownish, posterior gradually becoming entirely blackish 

 brown. 



* The Britisli Museum has also received two examples from the East India Company, marked " Dukhuii. 

 Col. Sykes." 



2 M 



