203 



Snout short, pointed or slightly turned up in the adult. 

 Rostral more broad than deep ; internasals shorter than the 

 praefrontals; frontal two times or two times and a half as long 

 as broad, narrower than the supraocular, longer than its distance 

 from the tip of the snout, shorter than the parietals; loreal 

 as long as deep, sometimes vertically divided; one or two 

 prae- and two to four postoculars; temporals 2 + 3 or 2 + 2; 

 eight upper labials, third to fifth entering the eye; three or 

 four lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; 

 two smaller pairs of chin-shields posteriorly. Scales in 17 (19) 

 rows; ventrals 146 — 175; anal entire; subcaudals 44 — 70. 



Dark brown or reddish-brown above, with small dark and 

 light spots; a dark band along each side; head with symme- 

 trical longitudinal markings, a dark band on each side of the 

 head, passing through the eye. Lower surface speckled with 

 brown and with dark lines and spots. Length of head and 

 body 497 mm.; tail 128 mm. 



Nom. in dig. Duwata (Toradja-name). 



Habitat: Engano; Sumatra (Peudawa in Y\tjeh, Labuan, 

 Bindjey, Medan!, Upper Langkat, Laut Tador, Djambi!, Pa- 

 lembang, Gunung Sugei in Lampong district); Banka; Riou!; 

 Natuna Islands; Borneo (Baram river, Kina Balu, Sebruang 

 Valley, Pangkalan Ampat, Singkawang, Sintang, Kapuas river, 

 Putus Genting!, Barabei, Bandjermassin) ; Java (Gadok, Sin- 

 danglaia, Tjibodas 1425 M.!, Mt. Gedeh 4500 feet. Mount Wilis 

 5000 feet. Volcano Pengalengan 4000 feet, Tengger Mts. 

 1200 M.); Lombok; Flores!; Sumba; Celebes (Sudara 4450 feet. 

 Upper Bone Valley, Buol, Matinang Mts. 1700 feet, Posso! 

 2000 feet); Togian Islands; Sangir Islands (Siao). — Malay 

 Peninsula; Siam; Burma; Assam; E. Himalayas; Philippines; 

 Indo China; Formosa. 



Ovoviviparous; feeds on lizards and frogs. Still common at 

 elevations over 5000 feet. 



2. Psammodynastes pictus Gthr 



Fsamiiiodynash's pictus^ Giinther, Cat. Col. Sn. 1858, p. 251. 

 Psammodynastes pictus^ Boulenger, Cat, Sn. Ill 1896, p. 174 (s. syn.). 



Internasals as long as or a little shorter than the prae- 

 frontals; frontal two and a half or three times as long as broad, 

 narrower than the supraocular, as long as the parietals; loreal 



