392 OPHIDIA. 



facial pit ; the thii'd and fourth are below the orbit, but excluded from it by an infraorbital 

 Scales smooth, in twenty-one series. Ventrals 138-156; subcaudals 36-54; the tail termi- 

 nates in a long curved spine. Reddish olive on the back, greyish olive on the sides, minutely 

 dotted with brown ; a series of large subtriangular brownish-black spots, each with a narrow 

 black and white edge, runs along each side of the back ; their truncated tops are directed 

 upwards, and the interspaces between them equal their own width ; a black line runs along 

 the vertebral series of scales ; a flesh-coloured band edged with black and white runs along 

 the can thus rostralis, the superciliary, and the temple ; lips reddish olive ; a dark-brown band 

 from the eye to the angle of the mouth. Lower parts whitish, finely marbled with brownish. 



This species is found in Java, and the British Museum has received a specimen from Siam. 

 It is one of the most beautiful and most dangerous venomous snakes. Feeding on frogs, it 

 frequents grassy plains, and approaches gardens and human dwellings. Kuhl was eye-witness 

 of a case where two men, bitten by one and the same snake, expired five minutes after. It 

 attains to a lenefth of 3 feet. 



HALYS, Gray. 



Head broad, obtuse in front, covered with the normal number of shields 

 above. Body of moderate lens^th, with keeled scales, in from twenty-three 

 to twenty-seven series. Tail rather short, not prehensile, terminating in a 

 long spine-like scale. Subcaudals two-rowed. 



This genus is characteristic of the fauna of Central Asia, the species being found in 

 Tartary, on the northern side of the Himalayas, in China, in Japan, and in Formosa. Three 

 species are known, of which we describe two. 



The hinder labial shields are below a series of large temporal shields ; anterior 



frontals divergent behind H. blomhoffii, p. 393. 



The hinder labial shields are below a series of large temporal shields ; anterior 



frontals in a straight transverse line H. pallasii*. 



The hinder labials confluent with the temporals H. Jdmalayanus, p. 393. 



These three species have a very dark coloration; the Nilgherries, however, appear to 

 be inhabited by a fourth, which is more brightly coloured. Not having seen it, we can 

 only repeat the few words in which it has been characterized by Mr. Jerdon, the Indian 

 ornithologist : — 



Trigonocephalus elliotti {Jerdon, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xxii. 1854, p. 523). — Form massive; scales 

 in twenty-three rows ; ventral shields 151 ; subcaudals 43. Olive-green above ; pearl-white beneath. Up 

 to 2 feet and upwards long. 



* Trigonocephalus halys, (Eversm.) Bote; Echidna aspis, var. pallasii. Men: — Tartary. 



