786 JOURNAL. BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



was familiar with in Tricliinopoly, and I have taken it in Cannanore. 

 It is certain, however, that the specimens taken in the localities 

 mentioned in the attached map are fristis, and not pictu.<t. 



(h) Local. — It is a common snake in Ceylon (Ferguson, Haly). 

 It is very common about Trichinopoly and Cannanore. Ferguson 

 says it is common in the Plains and Hills about Travancore * and 

 Mr. Millard tells me also about Matheran. Mr. E. Muir reports it 

 as one of the common snakes about Kalna in Bengal, and has sent 

 me specimens. Jerdon says it is abundant in all parts of the 

 country, but with this I cannot agree. It appears to me to be 

 uncommon in the plains to the north of the Tapti Rivers. I do not 

 think it occurs in the Indus Basin at all, except near the mouth of 

 that river. Blanford, collecting for 3 years at Ajmer, failed to 

 obtain a specimen. The Ganges Valley is too, I believe, outside its 

 limits, except at the Eastern part near the Delta. It has not been 

 recorded from Central India, nor seemingly from the Central Pro- 

 vinces, It is quite common in the Eastern Himalayas (circa 2,500 

 to 5,000 feet) in the vicinity of Darieeliug. 



Lepidosis. Rostral. — Touches 6 shields ; tho rostro-nasal, and rostro- 

 internasul sutures subequal. Internasah — Two ; the suture between 

 them equal to, or nearly equal to that between the praifrontal fellows, 

 and rather shorter than the internaso-praefrontal sutures. Prm- 

 frontals. — Two ; the sutures between them equal to, or rather greater 

 than, the prsefronto frontal sutures ; in contact with internasal, 

 postnasal, loreal, prseocular, supraocular and frontal. Frontal. — 

 Touches 6 shields ; the fronto-supraocular sutures three to four times 

 the fronto-parietal sutures. Supraoculars. — As long as the frontal, 

 and about as broad along a line connecting the centres of the eyes. 

 Nasals. — Two, completely divided ; the nostril placed almost entirely 

 in the anterior shield ; in contact with the 1st and 2nd supralabials. 

 Loreal. — One elongate, twice or more than twice as long as high, 

 about as long as the two nasals taken together. ProRocular — One, 

 barel}'' reaching the top of the head. Postoculars — Two. Temporals — 

 Two, elongate. Supralabials. — Normally 9 with the 5th and 6th 

 touching the eyef. Infralahials. — 6, the (ith much the largest, as 



• Bombay N. H. Jourl., Vol. X, p. 5. 



t This is so in 26 out of 29 specimens I have noted upon., In 2 instances these shields 

 are not recorded, and in a single example the 4th just touches the eye on both sides. In one 

 of the 26, there are 8 shields on one side only, the 4th and .'ith 'touching the eye. 



