206 OPHIDIA. 



has it distinct. The anal is bifid : in a specimen of 0. spilonotus and in one of 0. modestiis 

 it was entire. Further, the coloration of the head is peculiar: a brown band crosses the 

 forehead between the front angles of the orbits, and descends obliquely on each side through 

 the eye towards the lip, forming a distinct brown spot below the orbit ; a second angular 

 band on the crown of the head, touching with its point the hind part of the occipitals, and 

 descending obliquely backwards behind the angles of the mouth ; a third band or blotch on 

 the neck; these transverse bands are sometimes united by a median longitudinal line or 

 band, sometimes they are broken tip in the middle into lateral portions, sometimes only 

 traces of them remain. 



Very little is known of the habits of these snakes. Their dentition is strong enough to 

 enable them to seize other small snakes or lizards. 



The following species occur in British Indiaf : — 



* Belly white, immaculate ; seven upper labials. 



Back with numerous, narrow, rather irregular black cross streaks; 



ventral shields 180-202 0. su griseiis, p. 207. 



Back with about seventeen large 8-shaped brown spots ; ventrals 



155-162 0. spilonotus, p. 207. 



Back with about thirty-seven large rhombic black spots j ventrals 



156 0. elliotti, p. 207. 



** Eiffhf or nine upper labials. 



Belly white, with a series of black dots on each side O. subpunctatus, p. 208. 



Belly uniform white 0. spinipunctatus , p. 208. 



*** Belly with numerous small brown spots, irregularly disposed. 



Back with about twenty-seven cross bands 0. fasciatus, p. 208. 



**** Belly with three series of brown dots. 



Back with pairs of transverse spots O. sublineatus, p. 209. 



***** Belly with quadrangular black spots. 



Scales in seventeen rows ; the sixth labial shield enters the labial 



margin O. affinis, p. 209. 



Scales in fifteen rows ; the sixth labial shield does not enter the 



labial margin 0. templetonii, p. 209. 



Loreal none, one postocular 0. modestus, p. 210. 



A yellow band runs along the whole vertebral line ; two pairs of 



frontals 0. dorsalis, p. 210. 



A single pair of frontals O. brevicauda, p. 211. 



(Appendix : 0. dorsalis, Berthold, p. 211.) 



t In the Hst of Reptiles and Fishes observed by Mr. Hodgson in Nepal, I have mentioned Simotes 

 octolineatus (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 216), referring two coloured drawings presented to the British 

 Museum by that gentleman, to the variety with two series of spots on the belly. I am now convinced 

 that those drawings represent an unknown species. 



