39 



the distance between the eyes equals the length of the snout; 

 nasals separated by the rostral, which is in contact with the 

 praefrontals; frontal a little larger than the supraocular, much 

 larger than the parietals, as long as its distance from the tip 

 of the snout; six upper labials, third and fourth entering the 

 eye. Scales in 22 rows; no enlarged ventrals; subcaudals 5. 



Black above, each scale white-edged. Lower surface black 

 with two alternating series of large, white blotches; lower part 

 of tail orange. Total length 430 mm. 



Type-specimen examined in the British Museum. 



Habitat: Djampea Island!. 



4. Fam. Xenopeltidae. 



Body round, covered with uniform scales above, enlarged 

 ventrals beneath. Bones of the head more or less solidly united; 

 ectopterygoid present; pterygoid extending to the quadrate; 

 supra-temporal present, suspending quadrate ; praefrontal in 

 contact with nasal. Jaws, palate and praemaxillary toothed; 

 mandible without coronoid ; a mental groove. 



A single genus. 



I. Xenopeltis Reinw. 



(Reinvvardt, in Boie, Isis p. 564, 1827). 



Head not distinct from the neck; eye small, with vertically 

 elliptic pupil; nostril between two nasals; frontal in contact 

 with a large azygous interparietal, which is bordered by four 

 parietals; mental groove present; dentary bone movable on 

 the apex of the articular; numerous small, equal teeth, 4 on 

 each side of the praemaxillary, 33 — 38 in the maxillary and 

 35 or 36 on each side of the mandible. Body cylindrical, covered 

 with smooth scales in 15 rows; ventrals large. Tail short; 

 subcaudals in two rows. 



Distribution. India; Indo-China ; Malay Peninsula and Ar- 

 chipelago. 



A single species. 



I. Xenopeltis unicolor Reinw. 



Xenopeltis unicolor^ Reinwardt in Boie, Isis 1827, p. 5^4- 

 Xenopeltis unicolor^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. 1 1893, p. 168 (s. syn.). 



