DETOPHIS. 389 



Suout pointed aucl projecting, without dei'mal appendage, measur- 

 iug about twice the diameter of the eye. jS'asals usually forming 

 a suture behind the rostral ; frontal as long as its distance from 

 the end of the snout, as long as the parietals or a little longer ; 

 usually two superposed pairs of loreals ; two prseocnlars, upper 

 usually in contact with the frontal ; two postoculars ; temporals 



2 + 2 or 2 + 3 ; upper labials 7 or 8, fifth or sixth entering the eye ; 



3 or 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which 

 are much shorter than the posterior. Scales in 15 rows, those on 

 sacral region keeled. Ventrals 190-19.5 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 

 120-151. Bright green, olive, or bronze-brown above; pale green 

 or olive beneath, with a white or black and white lateral streak. 



Total length 3 feet; tail 1 foot. 



Hah. Peon and Arrakan. Stoliczka savs this is a true brackish- 

 water species ; he found it abundant on the bushes between tide- 

 marks near the mouth of the Moulmein I'iver. It is as often seen 

 diving and swimming in the \^"ater as climbing up a high bush or 

 tree and hiding itself in the green foliage. It always takes refuge 

 in the water when attacked. According to Theobald's observation, 

 it is ovoviviparous. 



460. Dryophis prasinus. 



Russell, Inch Serp. ii, pi. xxiv. 



Diyopbis prasinus, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 545 ; Jan, Ico)i. Ophid. 33, 



pi. V, fig. 1. 

 Drvimis prasinus, Cantor, J. A. S. B. xvi, 1847, p. 928. 

 Tragops prasiuus, Diim. S)- Bihr. Erp. Gen. vii, p. 824 ; Giinth. Rept. 



B. I. p. 303; Anders. P. Z. S. 1871, p. ]8o ; Theob. Cat. p. 191. 



Snout acuminate, projecting, without dermal appendage, rather 

 more than twice as long as the eye. Internasals usually in contact 

 ^\ith the labials ; one to four small loreals between the pra?frontal 

 and the labials ; frontal as long as its distance from the end of the 

 snout or a little longer, a little longer than the parietals ; one 

 prteocular, in contact \\ith the frontal; two postoculars ; temporals 

 2-f-2 or 3-J-3, rarely 1+2; upper labials 9, fourth, fifth, and 

 sixth entering the eye ; 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior 

 chin-shields, which are shorter than the posterior. Scales in 15 

 rows, usually faintly keeled on sacral region. Tentrals 203-284 ; 

 anal divided ; subcaudals 167-203. Bright green, pale olive, or 

 grey-brown, with a yellow line along each side of the lower parts ; 

 interstitial skin of the neck black and white. 



Total length 5,i feet ; tail 2 feet. 



Hah. Eastern Himalayas (1500-3000 feet), Khasi and other 

 Assam hills, Burma, Cochinchina, Malay Peninsula and Archi- 

 pelago. Cantor says this species is exceedingly common in the 

 Malayan forests, both in the hills and valleys, preying upon small 

 birds, arboreal lizards, frogs, and in early age upon insects. The 

 very young ones are as gentle as those of a more advanced age are 

 ferocious. Like the preceding species, it is ovoviviparous. 



2b 



