99 

 Key to the Indo-Australian species. 



A. Scales in 19 rows. 



.1. Scales smooth; aoal divided 1. C. porphyracetis p. 99, 



II. Scales keeled; anal entire. 



a. All caudal scales keeled 2. C. melanurus p. 99. 



/>. Outer caudal scales smooth 3. C radiatns p. loi. 



B. Scales in 21 rows 4. C erythriirns p. 102. 



C. Scales in 23 — 27 rows. 

 I. Anal divided. 



a. Three labials entering the eye 5. C janseni p. 102. 



b. Two labials entering the eye. 



1. Subcaudals 89 — 114 6. C taeniuriis p. 103. 



2. Subcaudals 122 — 157 7. C oxycephalus p. 104. 



IT. Anal entire. 



1. Three labials entering the eye 8. C enganejtsis p. 105. 



2. Two labials entering the eye 9. C. subradiatits p. 106. 



1. Coluber porphyraceus Cantor. 



Coluber porphyraceus^ Cantor, Proc. Zool. Sqc. 1839, p. 51. 

 Coluber porphyraceus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. II 1894, p. 34 (s. syn.). 



Rostral more broad than deep, visible from above; inter- 

 nasals shorter than the praefrontals; frontal broad, as long as 

 or longer than its distance from the tip of the snout, shorter 

 than the parietals; loreal small, more long than deep; prae- 

 ocular large; two postoculars ; temporals i + 2; eight upper 

 labials, fourth and fifth entering the eye; four or five lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; latter longer 

 than the posterior. Scales in 19 rows, smooth; ventrals 190 — 218, 

 rounded; anal divided; subcaudals 52 — y6. 



Red or reddish-brown above, with dark brown, black-edged 

 transverse bands; two longitudinal black lines along the body 

 and tail, sometimes indistinct anteriorly; head with a black 

 streak along the middle, another from the eye to the first 

 transverse band. Lower surface yellow. Length of head and 

 body 620 mm.; tail 140 mm. 



Habitat: Sumatra (Medan !, Brastagei on Battak Highlands !, 

 Alahan Pandjang, near Danau di Talang). — Singapore; Malay 

 Peninsula; Andamans; Yunnan; Burma; Assam; E. Himalayas. 



2. Coluber melanurus Schlegel. 



Coluber mclatturus^ Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 1837, p. 141, pi. V, fig. 11 & 12. 



