SIMOTES. 313 



Simotes multifasciatus, Jan, Icon. Ophid. 12, pi. iv, tig. 2. 

 Siraotes semifasciatus, Anders. J. A. S. B. xl, 1871, p. 16 ; Theoh. 

 Cat. p. 151. 



Xasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above as long as its 

 distance from the frontal or a little shorter ; suture between the 

 internasals usually shorter than that between the prsefrontals ; 

 froutal as long as its distance from the end of the snout, as long 

 as tlie parietals ; loreal usually longer than deep ; pra-ocular single, 

 usually with a small subocular below, between the third and foiu-th 

 labials: one or two postoculars ; temporals 1 + 2; upper labials 8, 

 fourth and fifth entering the eye ; 3 or 4 lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin-shields one half or 

 less thaii one lialL' the si/e of the anterior. Scales in 17 rows. 

 A'entrals 100-180 (190); anal undivided ; subcaudals 34-39. Pale 

 brown, purplish or reddish above ; markings on the head very in- 

 distinct : some specimens (>V. naereus) uniform above and below ; 

 others {S. multifasciatus, S. semifusciatus) with more or less distinct, 

 narrow, broken, blackish cross-bands above, and squarish brown 

 blotches below ; a specimeu from Tenasseriui in the British Museum 

 is intermediate bet\\een the two varieties. 



Total length 30 inches ; tail 3. 



Eab. Rungpore, Bengal; ISiiga Hills, Assam; Tenasserim, 

 Camboja, Southern China. 



379. Simotes octoliiieatiis. 



Hussell, Ltd. Serp. ii, pi. xxxviii. 

 ]\laps octoliueatus, ScJnieid. Hist. Amph. ii, p. 200. 

 Simotes oftolineatu.-*, Ihnn. .V Bifjr. Frp. Ciin. vii. p. 6."!-4, pi. Ixxxii, 

 tip'. : Jan. Iron. OpJiid. 12, pi. v. tiir. 1 . 



Nasal dinded ; portion of rostral seen froiu above a little shorter 

 tlian its distance from the frontal ; suture between the internasals 

 nearly as long as that between the pra^frontals ; frontal longer than 

 its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals ; 

 loreal as long as deep; pneocidar single; two postoculars; tem- 

 porals 2 + 2; upper labials 6, third and fourth entering the eye ; 

 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior 

 chin-shields about two thirds the length of the anterior. Scales in 

 17 rows. Yentrals 105-197 ; anal undivided ; subcaudals 51-01. 

 Yellow with six black longitudinal stripes, or black with five yellow 

 longitudinal lines which are much narrower than the interspaces 

 between them ; head yellow, the two median dorsal bands meeting 

 on the frontal : a black crescentic cross-band anteriorly, passing 

 through the eyes, and an oblique band oil each side from the parietal 

 shield to below the angle of the mouth. Lo\Aer surface uniform 

 or with a series of black spots on each side of the ^'entrals, some- 

 times confluent into a line. 



Total length 27 inches : tail 4. 



