214 OPHIDIA. 



This species is rather common in the peninsula of India, extending northwards into Nepal 

 and the Himalayas, where it reaches an altitude of 4100 feet above the level of the sea; 

 it occurs also in Ceylon, but it does not appear to be common there. The largest specimen 

 I have seen is 25 inches long, the tail measuring 5 inches. 



SiMOTES BINOTATUS. 



Xenodon dubiiim, Jerdon, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 1853, p. 528. 

 Simotes binotatus, Dum. ^ Bibr. vii. p. 630. 



Scales in seventeen rows ; loreal distinct ; one prseorbital, two postorbitals ; seven upper 

 labials, the thii-d and fourth of which form the lower part of the orbit. Ventral shields 

 181; subcaudals 41. Head with three angular white, black-edged cross bands: the first 

 crosses the snout, descends to the lip, and passing the eye it is united with the second band ; 

 the third occupies the neck and occiput, its light portion being heart-shaped. Back with 

 a series of pairs of square, brownish-grey, black-edged spots which are confluent at their 

 internal angles, forming ^ -shaped cross bands ; other smaller spots form a lateral series, and 

 correspond either to the cross bands described, or to the interspaces between them. Lower 

 parts uniform white. 



Coast of Malabar ; North Canara. 



Mr. Walter Elliott has lent me a coloured drawing of Xenodon dnbmm, Jerd., from which 

 I see that it is identical with Simotes binotatus, Dum. & Bibr., although Jerdon states that 

 his snake has only fifteen series of scales. Jerdon's denomination would be prior to that 

 given by Dumeril, but no right of priority can be established on the ground of so insufficient 

 a diagnosis as that given for '■^Xenodon dubimn, n. s.V 



Simotes albiventer. (Plate XX. fig. D.) 



Simotes purpurascens, var. A, Gi'mth. Colubr. Snakes, p. 25. 



Scales in seventeen rows. Occipital obliquely truncated behind ; loreal none, confluent 

 with the posterior frontal ; one prse-, two postorbitals ; seven upper labials, the third and 

 fourth forming the lower part of the orbit; temporals 1+2. Anterior chin-shields not 

 twice as long as broad, in contact with three labials ; posterior chin-shields half as large as 

 anterior. Ventralsl79; anal bifid; subcaudals 45 ; ventrals without lateral keel. Uniform 

 greyish brown above, whitish below ; a dark spot below the eye. 



Ceylon. Total length 24 inches ; tail 3| inches. We have given a lateral view of the 

 head, of the natui-al size. 



