84 Catalogue of Reptiles inhabiting the 



He?d and body above bronze with strong golden reflections ; skin 

 beween the scales of the anterior part of the body alternately ultrama- 

 rine and black. Lips, throat, the two lowest lateral rows of scales, 

 and the abdominal surface silvery mother-of-pearl. From the muzzle 

 to the root of the tail a black hue, bordering above the silvery sides, 

 which below are circumscribed by a second black line, commencing a 

 little behind the head. Iris bright golden with a transversal black 

 line ; pupil black, circular ; tongue scarlet. 



Scuta 167 to 187, Scutella 109 to 149. 



Habit. — Malayan Peninsula and Islands. 



Manilla, New Ireland, "Waigiou, Amboina, New Guinea, Pulo 

 Samao, Java, Sumatra, Coch in-China, Tenasserim, Bur- 

 mah, Bengal, Assam, Coromandel. 



Var. A.* 



Syn. — Coluber filiformis, Linne', (young.) 



Fil, Double Raie, Lacepede, (young.) 

 Russell, II. PI. 25, Mancas, Rooka, Maniar. 

 Coluber bilineatus, Shaw. 

 Leptophis maucas, Bell. 

 Dendrophis maniar, Boie. 

 Ahoetula bellii, Gray. 111. Ind. Zool. 

 Dendrophis lateralis, Gray : 111. Ind. Zool. 

 Chrysopelea boii, Smith. 

 Dendrophis picta, Var. Schlegel. 

 Dendrophis boii, apud Cantor. 



Above dull brownish black, with a light brown dorsal line ; the two 

 lowest series of scales pale greenish white, forming a lateral band, 

 bordered above by a black line, commencing from the muzzle, more or 

 less distinct, in some irregularly broken up on the anterior part of the 

 body. A second faint black line below. Iris golden, in some dotted 

 with black ; tongue black. 



Habit. — Malayan Peninsula. 



Bengal, Assam, Ceylon. 

 The species occurs numerously in the Malayan hills and valleys, but 

 the contrary appears to be the case with the plain Variety, which in 

 Bengal is equally common. The following must be added to the de- 

 scription of M. Schlegel. The frenal shield is small, rectangular ; 



* The Variety, Col. polychrous, Reinwardt, appears to inhabit neither the Malayan 

 Peninsula nor Bengal. 



