( 166 ) 



uppermost stripe three, the lower stripe one, with an interspace 

 of two scales from the upper. Sides of the body dark slaty 

 extending to the belly. Middle of belly white clouded with 

 slaty. Beneath tail, yellowish. Eye grey. Pupil black nar- 

 rowly margined with gold. 



Grows to 73 inches. (Tail 14.) 



Inhabits Sikkim, the Khasi hills, Assam, Pegu, Tenasserim, 

 and the Malayan Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, &c. 



When enraged this snake contracts its neck vertically, pre- 

 paratory to striking, thereby displaying its finely coloured 

 interstitial skin. It is called the ' rat snake ' in Pegu, from fre- 

 quenting houses in search of rats. 



C. reticulare. Cantor. 



Scales keeled in 21 rows (19). Rostral as high as broad. 

 Prsefrontals nearly half as large as postfrontals. Loreal longer 

 than high. One prseocular, an additional small prseocular some- 

 times detached from the fourth labial. Two postoculars, the 

 upper sometimes united with the superciliary. 8 upper labials, the 

 fourth, fifth, and sixth entering the orbit. Anal entire (bifid 

 once in 20). Colour blackish brown. Behind black with numer- 

 ous narrow whitish cross bands, more distinct posteriorly. 

 Bands sometimes indistinct or form only reticulated spots. Belly 

 yellowish marbled with black, sometimes wholly black. Some- 

 times an indistinct pale lateral band. In this species some of the 

 cephalic shields are always united. 



Grows to 46 inches. (Tail 9.) 



Inhabits the Himalaya Mountains, the Khasi and Garo 

 hills, &c. 



C. Hodgsonii, Gunther. 

 Scales in 23 rows, those on the back feebly keeled, with two 

 apical grooves. Rostral as high as broad. Prsefrontals half as 

 large as postfrontals. Loreal longer than high, sometimes con- 

 fluent with the frontal. One large praeocular. Two postoculars. 

 8 upper labials, three of which enter the orbit, but two or three 

 are often confluent. Anal bifid. Colour uniform brownish 



