H5 



superior angle of the orbit; parietals as large as the anterior 

 shields together; postocular minute; six upper labials, third 

 and fourth entering the eye; mental in contact with the anterior 

 chin-shields; latter much longer than the posterior; fifth lower 

 labial long and narrow. Scales in 15 rows; ventrals 141 ; anal 

 entire; subcaudals 43. Tail pointed. 



Deep black, with a broad, white collar, covering half of 

 the occipitals and the neck. Length of head and body 196 mm.; 

 tail 41 mm. (After GuNTHER; not seen by me). 



Habitat: Borneo (Baram in Sarawak). 



33. Rhabdophidium Boulenger. 



(BOULENGER, Cat. Sn. II p. 328, 1894). 



Head not distinct from neck; eye small; pupil round; nostril 

 in a small nasal, which is in contact with or separated from 

 the praeocular; internasals present; temporals absent. Maxil- 

 lary teeth 10 — 12, about equal; mandibular teeth subequal. 

 Body round, covered with smooth scales without pits, in 15 

 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail short; subcaudals in two rows. 



Distribution. Celebes. 



A single species. 



I. Rhabdophidium forsteni (Dum. & Bibr.). 



Rhabdion forsteni^ Dumeril & Bibron, Erp. Gen. VII 1854, p. 116. 

 Rliahdophidium forsteni^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. II 1894, p. 328. 



Snout pointed; rostral more broad than deep, visible from 

 above; internasals shorter than the praefrontals; frontal longer 

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

 parietals, about twice as broad as the supraocular; praeocular 

 large, reaching the nasal or separated from it; one postocular; 

 five or six upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, 

 fifth largest and in contact with the parietal; first lower labial 

 in contact with its fellow behind the mental; three lower 

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

 than the posterior. Scales in 15 rows; ventrals 137 — 160; anal 

 entire; subcaudals 21 — 34. 



Uniformly blackish above; upper lip pale brown or yellowish. 

 Lower surface yellowish-white or brown, with or without a 

 black median streak along the tail. Young specimens with 

 Indo-australian reptiles II. 10 



