( isa ) 



Inhabits the Wynaad (Peria and ' Tirrhioot' Peaks) at 

 6,000 feet. • 



M. punctatum, Bed. Mad. Month. J. M. S., December 1871. 



"Snout obtuse. Rostral shield rather small, simply convex, 

 nearly as high as broad. Nasals large forming a suture behind the 

 rostral. Vertical hexagonal nearly as broad as long, with an 

 obtuse angle in front and an acute angle behind. Eye in a large 

 shield. No supraorbital or postocular, the first pair of lower 

 labials form a suture together, behind the median shield and are 

 followed by one large and one small pair of chin shields, the 

 median line running between all three. Scales in 15 rows shining 

 and smooth, or more or less covered with small glandular raised 

 blotches. Ventrals 186-101 twice as broad as the adjoining scales, 

 shining smooth or glandular. Anal large, bifid, terminal horny scale 

 about 2 lines long, bicuspid in adults, slightly rough on the sides, 

 above concave with a serrated ridge on each side ; back uniform 

 bluish black, shining, nacreous and exhibiting all the colours of 

 the rainbow ; belly and sides whitish, each of the 3 lower scales 

 on each side with a very regular oblong black blotch, forming 3 

 very regular parallel lines on each side. Each ventral with a 

 large parallelogrammoid black blotch (transverse with the oblong 

 blotches of the side). Subcaudals 15-17 pairs, each with a black 

 blotch." 



Grows to 18 inches. 



Inhabits Travankor (Mutikuli voyal in the Asamba hills, at 

 4,500 and at Pirmid (Peermeed). 



Two species of tlenostoma, S. macrorhynchum, Jan. and S. 

 microrhynchum, Jan. have been described from India, but I 

 have not seen the original descriptions, nor am I sure if the 

 species are really Indian or not. 



Family Xenopeltid^e. 



Head depressed, not distinct from neck. Tail short ; tapering, 

 no rudimentary pelvic limbs. Scales large polished. Eye small. 

 A mental fold. 



