322 



COLUBEID.E. 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above as long as, 

 or a little shorter tliaii, its distance from the frontal ; suture between 

 the internasals usually shorter than that between the pnofroutals ; 

 frontal longer than its distance from tlie end of snout, as long as 

 the parietals ; loreal about as long as deep ; prteocular single ; two 

 postoculars ; teniporals 1 + 2; upper labials 7, tliird and fourth 

 entering the eye ; 3 or 4: lo\^er labials in coiitact with the anterior 

 chin-shields ; posterior chin-shields one half to two thirds the length 

 of the anterior. Scales in 15 rows. Yentrals angulate laterally, 

 160-218 ; anal usually divided ; subcaudals 38-50. Bro^^n above, 

 with a series of large rhomboidal darli spots or transverse bands, 

 or pairs of spots, with or without a more or less distinct vertebral 

 line ; head with dark markings, viz. a crescentic band across the 

 forehead, through the eyes, to the fourth and fifth labials, a band, 

 widening posterioi'ly, from the parietals or from the frontal to the 

 angle of the mouth, and a large spot, bifid posteriorly, from the 

 frontal to the nape. Lower surface immaculate or with small 

 brown spots or dots on each side. 



Total length 19 inches : tail 2'5. • 



Hah. Prom Sind and Bengal to Southern India and Ceylon. 



Genus LYTORHYNCHUS, 



Peters, MB. Ak. Bei-1. 1862, p. 



Maxillary teeth 6 to 0, posterior much longer than anterior; 

 mandibular teeth subequal. Head slightly distinct from neck, \A-ith 

 cuneiform projecting snout; eye moderate, pupil vertically elliptical ; 



Fig. 98. — Head of Lytorhynchus paradoxus. 



rostral large, four-sided, projecting, concave inferiorly ; nostril 

 (fig. 98, n) an oblic^ue slit between two nasals. Body elongate, cyliu- 



