394 OPHIDIA. 



it has a narrow black and white edge above and below, and is better defined in the young- 

 individual than in the old one. Lower labials marbled with yellowish and blackish. 



We have received this species from Garhval, Himalayas (altitude 9000 feet), through 

 Dr. Cantor and Messrs. v. Schlagintweit. The larger of the two specimens is 25 inches long, 

 the tail measuring 3f inches. 



HYPNALE, FHz. 



Head broad, triangular ; snout covered with numerous small shields above, 

 the crown of the head being- normally shielded. Body of moderate length, 

 with keeled scales in seventeen rows. Tail rather short, not prehensile, 

 terminating- in a short conical scale. Subcaudals two-rowed. 



Only one species is known. 



Hypnale nepa. The Carawala. 



Coluber iiepa, Laur. Syn. p. 97. 



Russell, Ind. Serp. ii. tab. 32. 



Carawala, Davy, Ceylon, p. 85. 



Copliias liypnale, Merr. Tent. p. 155. 



Trigouoceplialus liypnale, Wagl. Syst. Amjj/t. p. 174. Schleg. Pliys. Serp. ii. p. 550. pi. 20. 



figs. 6 Si, 7. Gray, Viper. Snakes, p. 15. 

 Trimesurus? ceylonensis, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 48, and Viper. Snakes, p. 11. 

 Trigonocephalus zara, Gray, Viper. Snakes, p. 15. 



Snout rather short, triangular, with a sharp canthus rostralis, and with the nose slightly 

 turned upwards. Frontal shields broken up into numerous small ones, which are symmetri- 

 cally arranged. Occipitals small, as large as supraciliaries, rounded behind. Seven upper 

 labials, the posterior not much lower than those in the middle ; a series of four temporal 

 shields above the labials, none of them being in contact with the occipital. Scales slightly 

 keeled, in seventeen series. Ventrals 140-152 ; subcaudals 31-45. The tail terminates in 

 a short conical scale. Brown or grey or reddish olive, with a double dorsal series of brown 

 or black spots; the spots of both sides sometimes confluent into cross bands. Sides and 

 belly finely marbled and dotted with brown or black. Upper lip brown or black, well 

 marked by a darker line running from behind the eye to the angle of the mouth ; a more or 

 less distinct white or whitish temporal streak above the dark line, sometimes continued along 

 the side of the neck, with an interrupted brown band above and below it. Chin and throat 

 blackish or brownish, variegated with yellow or grey. Sometimes specimens occur of a more 

 uniform coloration : the dorsal spots, the dark temporal line, and a pair of whitish spots on 

 each side of the throat are the most constant markings. Other specimens are flesh-coloured. 



