756 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL H/STORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



No, XVIII.— NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF SNAKES 

 FROM MATHERAN. 



A collection of snakes made by Captain McPherson,!. M. S., at Matheran 

 (2,500 feet) and presented to our Society, contains the following species : — 



Uropeltid^.. 

 Silybura macrohpis. 

 One specimen of this species which is peculiar to the Western Ghats. The 

 costals are 15 at a point two head-lengths behind the head, 15 in midbody, and 

 15 at a point two head-lengths before the vent. The ventrals and subcaudals 

 129 + 9. The ventrals are not twice the breadth of the last row as stated by 

 Boulenger, the last row being two-thirds as broad as the ventrals, 



COLUBRIDyE. 



Tropklonotus piscator. 



Two small specimens, olivaceous chequered with small spots. (Variety 

 punctatus. Wall). 



Lycodon aulicus. 



Four specimens, all variety typica. The ventrals and subcaudals of three 

 are 206+66, 207+ ? (tail imperfect), and 208+61 (the first 4 entire). 



Lycodon travancoricus. 



Four specimens, all ^. The ventrals and subcaudals are 192+ '?. 20272 , 

 198 + ?, and 196 + 75, The anal is entire in all. Three of these are quite 

 typical in colouration, but the fourth is peculiar in that it appears to be 

 uniform dark purplish brown. With the aid of a lens an indication of the 

 normal yellow cross bar can be very dimly discerned. One specimen had a 

 frog in the stomach. 



Macropisthodon plumbicolor. 



Three specimens, one quite young. The costals in all are in 25 rows at 

 midbody, and 19 at a point two head-lengths before the anus. Two head- 

 lengths behind the head they are 23 in two specimens, 25 in the third. The 

 ventrals and subcaudals are 152+45, 163+40, and 155+43, In one nearly 

 adult specimen the black bands across the body, and the yellow chevron edged 

 with black on the nape were unusually conspicuous for a specimen of this 

 growth 



Zamenis niucosus. 



One half-grown specimen, light in colour, abundantly variegated with black 

 in the hinder part. 



Coluber helena. 



Two examples. One is an enormous specimen of its kind, measuring 

 4 feet 1 1 inches. The costals are 23 two head-lengths behind the head, 25 in 

 midbody, and 19 two head-lengths before the anus. The ventrals and sub- 

 caudals are 142 + 79, and 228 + 86. I notice that in all specimens from the 

 Hills of Western Indian Travancore to Western Ghats the bands on the anterior 

 part of the body are connected by festoons of black spots on the ventrals. 



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