184 OPHIDIA. 



Khinophis oxyrhynchus. 



Typhlops oxyrhynchus, Schneid. Hist. Amph. ii. p. 341. 



Rhinophis oxyrhyiichus, Hempr. Grundriss Naturgesch. p. 119. Dum. ^- Bibr. vii. p. 154. Peters, 



Uropelt. p. 9. tab. 2. fig. 1. 

 Dapatnaya lankadivana, Kelaart, Prodr. ii. p. 16. 

 MytiHa unimaculata, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858, p. 264. 



Snout acutely pointed ; rostral shield nearly half as long as the head, compressed into a 

 distinct longitudinal keel above ; vertical as broad as long, or even broader. Caudal shield 

 large, obtusely convex, extending on to the lower surface of the tail, its extent being about 

 equal to that of the head. Anterior part of the trunk surrounded by nineteen, the remainder 

 by seventeen longitudinal series of scales ; ventral shields not much larger than the scales of 

 the adjoining series, varying in number from 214 to 223; male with seven or eight, female 

 with six subcaudals, which are partly simple, partly divided into two. Brownish, each scale 

 with a lighter margin ; anal shields, and sometimes a spot on the upper or lower part of the 

 tail, white ; caudal shield brown. 



Our largest specimen is 15 inches long, the circumference of the thickest (anterior) part 

 of the trunk being one-thirteenth or one-fovirteenth of the total length. The species is a 

 native of Ceylon, and, according to Kelaart, common at Trincomalee and in the Kandyan 

 Province, where it is found two or three feet under ground and in ant-hills. 



Rhinophis punctatus. 



Rhinopliis punctatus, Milller, Treviran. Zeitschr. Physiol, iv. p. 248. Ihtm. £f Bibr. vii. p. 157. 



Peters, Uropelt. p. 12. tab. 2. fig. 3. 

 Pseudotyplilops oxyrhyuchus, Schley. Abbild. p. 43. tab. 12. 



Snout acutely pointed ; rostral shield nearly half as long as the head, compressed into a 

 distinct longitudinal keel above ; vertical as broad as long. Caudal shield large, rather flat, 

 extending on to the lower surface of the tail. Scales in seventeen longitudinal series ; ventral 

 shields not much larger than the scales of the adjoining series, 228 in number; seven or 

 eight subcaudals. Yellowish, each scale with a black or brown central spot ; the scales in 

 the series adjoining the vertebral series without spot. 



This species attains to a length of 19 inches, and appears to be one of the scarcest 

 Ceylonese snakes. 



Rhinophis philippinus. 



T^'phlops philijjpinus, Cuv. Regne Anim. 



Rhinophis philippinus, MiilL, Treviran. Zeitschr. Physiol, iv. p. 249. Dum. &; Bibr. vii. p. 154. 

 tab. 59. fig. 1. Peters, Uropelt. p. 15. 



Snout acutely pointed ; the length of the rostral shield is much less than one-half of that 



