72 



S. TRiNOTATUS, D. and B. 



Scales 21. Ventrals 183-189, subc. 49-51. Anal entire. 

 Brown, with three series of dark, black-edged spots ; belly 

 yellow with square black spots ; head-markings indistinct. 

 Straits. 



S. AMABILTS, Gthr. 



S. THEOBALDi, Gth\ are also recorded. Ann. and Mag. 



Nat. Hist., 1868. 



Mr. Theobald has made species S. ohscurus and S. crassus 

 of two solitary museum specimens, but they appear to be 

 aberrant varieties of /Si. hicatenatus. (J. A. S., 1868.) Indeed, 

 nearly all the species of this genus may be referred to two 

 tj^pes, S. hicatenatus and S. russellii. 



Family XII.— LYCODONTID^. 



Body moderate or slender, head distinct, moderate, with 

 depressed and elongate snout. Eye small, generally with 

 vertical pupil. Head-shields regular. A large fang (harm- 

 less) in front, both in the upper and lower jaws. 



These snakes are a degraded family of Coluhridoi. 



LYCODON, D. and B. 



Body rather flattened, head distinct, depressed, with flat 

 spatulate snout. Scales 17, smooth. Pupil erect. 



L. AULicus, L. The Lycodon. Plate XI, fig. 1 and la. 



Ventrals 183-209, subc. 57-77. Anal bifid. Antocular 

 reaches the vertical. 



Eye small and beady ; so black that it is nearly impos- 

 sible to distinguish the pupil. Colour chocolate brown with 

 numerous white or yellowish cross-bands decussating later- 

 ally ; the first forms a broad collar ; belly very transparent 

 white with interstitial flesh colour. Length 1-2 feet. 



