ABLABES. 223 



ABLABES. 



Ablabes, sp., Bum. ^ Bibr. 



Body cylindrical, not compressed, rather slender ; head of moderate 

 length, rather depressed, with flat crown, more or less distinct from neck ; 

 tail of moderate length or rather long ; eye of moderate size, with round 

 j)upil. Rostral shield not produced backwards ; two nasals ; one loreal ; 

 one or two anterior and one or two posterior oculars. Scales smooth, in 

 thirteen, fifteen, or seventeen rows; ventrals not angulated ; anal bifid; 

 subcaudals two-rowed. Teeth in the jaws and on the palate numerous, 

 small, and of equal size. 



The snakes of this genus are small, living on the ground, and are found in North America 

 and in the East Indies. Some of them have been separated into a distinct group under the 

 name of Enicognathus, having the notch in the dentary bone placed more forwards than in 

 other snakes ; the species referred to our division F. would belong to it. On reconsideration, 

 however, I refer the genus Trachischium, which I had established for A. fuscus (Colubr. 

 Snakes, p. 30), to Ablahes. It was founded on the number of scales, on the peculiarly 

 keeled scales in the ischiadic region, and on the united posterior frontal shields ; but these 

 characters appear to me to lose their generic value since I have become acquainted with 

 A. tenuiceps^ A. raj)])ii, and A. bicolor, which form connecting links between Trachischium 

 and Ablabes. 



The following species occur in British India : — 



A. Scales in 13 roivs ; those of the ischiadic region not keeled; two praoculars. 



Upper labials seven A. baliodirus, p. 224. 



B. Scales in 13 rows ; those of the ischiadic region keeled in the male ; one praocular (Trachischium). 



Anterior and posterior chin-shields equal in size ; two posterior 



frontals A. tenuiceps, p. 224. 



Anterior chin-shields much larger than posterior ; posterior frontals 



united into one shield A. fuscus, t^. 225. 



[A. obscurostriatus, p. 225.) 



C. Scales in 15 roivs. 



Upper labials six A. rappii, p. 225. 



D. Scales in 17 roivs ; two jirceoculars ; frontals united into two transverse shields. 



Two postoculars, one of which is below the eye A. bicolor, p. 226. 



E. Scales in 17 rows ; two prceoculars ; two pairs of frontals. 



Five upper labials A. olivaceus, p. 227. 



F. Scales in 17 roivs ; one prceocular. 



A series of black dots along the vertebral line ; upper labials seven 



(eight) A. Sagittarius, p. 227 



