234 OPHIDIA. 



rounded, broad brown bands, each of which is about thrice as broad as the intervals of the 

 ground-colour ; the first occupies the head, the second the neck, both being separated by a 

 white collar. The head appears to be sometimes entirely yellowish. 



The specimens which I have examined are from Russell's collection ; he obtained them 

 from Vellore ; the largest is 17 inches long, tail 3| inches. 



Odontomus semifasciatus. 



Hydrophobus semifasciatus, Gunth. Ann. 8; Mag. Nat. Hist. 1862, Febr., p. 127. pi. 9. fig. 6. 



Rostral shield of moderate size, somewhat broader than high ; anterior frontals subqua- 

 drangular, nearly as broad as long, more than half the size of the posterior. Posterior frontal 

 broader than long; vertical and occipitals of moderate size, the latter rounded behind. 

 Nasal subdivided, a suture below the nostril being very indistinct. Loreal rather longer than 

 high. Two praeoculars equal in size, the upper just reaching to the upper surface of the 

 head ; two postoculars. Seven upper labials, the third and fourth of which enter the orbit. 

 Temporals 2 + 2 + 2 : the two anterior are in contact with the postoculars, and that on the 

 side of the hind portion of the occipital is elongate, twice the size of the others. Scales 

 in thirteen rows, with an apical groove ; ventrals232; anal bifid; subcaudals 84. Maxillary 

 teeth small, equal in size; palatine teeth not elongate. White, vdth fifty rounded, dark- 

 brown bands, each of which is about twice as broad as the intervals of the ground-colour ; 

 the first occupies the head, the second the neck, both being separated by a white collar. 



I have seen only one example of this species, and I do not know whence it was obtained. 

 It is young, 75 lines long, the tail being 27 lines. Ha\ing formerly followed Dumeril and 

 Bibron in placing Odontomus among the Lycodonts, I did not at first recognize the generic 

 affinities of the present species, considering it as the type of a distinct genus. 



Odontomus gracilis. 



Rostral shield low, twice as broad as high, slightly bent backwards on the upper surface 

 of the head. Anterior frontal quadi-angular, as long as broad, two-thii'ds the size of posterior ; 

 posterior frontal much broader than long. Vertical not much longer than broad ; occipitals 

 of moderate size. Two nasals ; loreal united with lower prseocular, entering the orbit ; upper 

 prpeocular small ; two postoculars. Eight upper labials, the third and fourth of which enter 

 the orbit. Temporals 2 -f 3( -f 3), the two anterior in contact with the postoculars. Scales 

 in fifteen rows, without apical groove ; ventrals 234 ; anal entu-e; subcaudals 81-83. Each 

 maxillary is armed with nine teeth of moderate size and in a continuous series ; they gradu- 

 ally become somewhat longer behind; palatine teeth small; anterior mandibulary teeth a 

 little longer than the posterior. White, with about thirty-eight broad, round, dark-brown 

 cross bands, thrice or twice as broad as the interspaces of the ground-colour ; these interspaces 



