ZAMENI8. 325 



Corypliodon blumenbachii, Dum. ^- Bihr, Erp. Gen. vii, p. 184 ; Jaw, 



Icon. Oj^hicl. 24, pi. iii, figs. 2-4. 

 Leptophis trifrenatus, Hallow. Troc. Ac. Philad. 1860, p. 603. 

 Ptyas mucosus, Co;je, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1860, p. 563; Gunth, Revt. 



B. I. p. 249 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxix, 1870, p. 185 ; Bla)if. 



J. A. S. B. xxxix, 1870, p. 372 ; T/ieob. Cat. p. 168 ; Atidms. An. 



Zool. Bes. Yimnan, p. 815 ; Boett(/. Zool. Jahrh. iii, 1888, p. 931. 



Snout obtuse, slightly projecting ; eye large ; rostral a little 

 broader than deep, A'isible from above ; suture between tbe inter- 

 nasals shorter than that between the prsefrontals ; frontal as long 

 as its distance from the end of tlie snout, as long as the parietals or 

 slightly shorter ; usually three loreals ; one large praeocnlar, with 

 a small subooular below; two postoculars ; temporals 2+2; 8 

 upper labials, fourth and fifth entering the eye ; 5 lower labials 

 in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are shorter than 

 the posterior: the latter in contact anteriorly. Scales more or less 

 strongly keeled on the posterior part of the back, in 17 rows. 

 Yentrais 190-208 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 95-135. Brown 

 above, frequently with more or less distinct black cross-bands on 

 the posterior part of the body and on the tail ; young usually with 

 light cross- bands on the front half of the body. Lower surface 

 yellowish ; the posterior ventral and the caudal shields may be 

 edged with black. 



The largest specimen in the British Museum is 6 feet long, the 

 tail measiu'ing 1| foot. Mr. Blanford records one 7 feet 7 inches 

 lonof. This is commonlv known in India as the rat-snake: dlmmhi 

 in Hindi. 



Ual). India and Ceylon, Afghanistan, Burma, Southern China, 

 Siam, Malay Peninsula, Java. 



398. Zamenis ventrimaculatus. 



Coluber ventromaoulatus, Gray, III. Ind. Zool. ii, pi. Ixxx, fig-. 1. 

 Coluber chesnei, Maiim, P. Z. S. 1838, p. 81. 

 Coluber diadema()?o??»S'(?A%.), Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxiii, 1854, p. 291. 

 riatyceps semifasciatu?, Blyth. J. A. S. B. xxix, 1860, p. 114. 

 Zameuis ventrimaculatu?, Gvnth. Bept. B. 1. p. 253 ; Stoliczka, P. 



A. S. B. 1872, p. 82 ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xliv, 1875, p. 208; Theob. 



Cat. p. 169 ; Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 378. 

 Zamenis persieu?<, Jem, Icon. Ophid. 23, pi. ii, fig. 1. 

 Coluber (Platyceps) semifasciatus, Theob. Cat. Bept. As, Soc. Mns. 



1868, p. 52. 

 Compsosonia semifasciata, Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxix, 1870, p. 188, 



pi. xi, fig. 2 ; Theob. Cat. p. 164. 

 Zameuis ventrimaculatus, part., Blanf. Zool. E. Pers. p. 414. 



Snout obtuse, feebly projecting ; rostral as deep as broad or a 

 little broader than deep, hollowed out beneath ; the portion of the 

 rostral visible from above not so long as half its distance from the 

 frontal ; suture between the internasals as long as that between 

 the prsefrontals or a little shorter ; frontal as long as its distance 

 from the end of the snout or slightly longer, shorter than the parie- 

 tals ; loreal usually not longer than deep ; one praeocular, with a 

 small subocular below ; two postoculars ; temporals 2 -f- 2 or 2-1-3 ; 



