204 OPHIDIA. 



HAPLOCERCUS, Gthr. 



Body very slender ; head narrow, not distinct from neck ; eye of moderate 

 size, with round pupil ; tail rather short, taperinsf ; a single anterior frontal, 

 two posterior ; two very small nasals ; loreal none, united with the frontal ; 

 one anterior ocular, two posterior ; seven upper labials. Scales keeled, 

 lanceolate, in seventeen series ; anal and subcaudals entire. Teeth equal. 



Ceylon. 



Haplocercus cetlonensis. (Plate XVIII. fig. G.) 



Haplocercus ceylonensis, Gunth. Colubr. Snakes, 1858, p. 15. 

 Aspidura cariuata, Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. ii. 1862, p. 30*. 



Body very slender, its circumference being one twenty-seventh of the total length ; the 

 length of the tail is one-eighth of the total. Rostral shield small, just reaching to the upper 

 surface of the head ; anterior frontal truncated in front and pointed behind, smaller than one 

 posterior frontal. Vertical rather elongate, five-sided ; one prteocular, not extending on to 

 the upper surface of the head, but in contact with the superciliary ; two postoculars, the 

 upper of which is rather larger than the lower. Nostril between two small nasals, and 

 resting on the first labial ; seven upper labials, the fourth being below the eye, and the third 

 entering the orbit with its posterior angle ; temporal shields 1+2, the anterior and the upper 

 rather large, elongate. The first pau" of lower labials form a suture together behind the 

 mental. Two pairs of chin-shields, the front pair being the larger. Ventrals 208; sub- 

 caudals 45-49. Above uniform blackish, or light bro^vn, vdth a narrow black vertebral line, 

 and with two dorsal rows of small black spots ; an oblique whitish, black-edged band on 

 each side of the neck. Lower parts dull yellowish, immaculate. 



Length 19 inches. 



* This second name has been given by M. Jan, although he was well aware that the snake had been 

 named and described by myself; but this, unfortunately, is only one out of several instances in which he 

 has followed the same dishonest practice. 



