290 BULLETIISr 58, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



side and 4 on the other, and one has 4 on both sides ; the ventrals vary 

 between 139 and 144, the subcaudals between 72 and 77 pairs. 

 Boulenger notes the occurrence of 2 + 3 temporals, rarely 1 + 2 ; ven- 

 trals, 125-150; and subcaudals, 70-90. I may add here that Hallo- 

 well's cotype of Amijfiiesma jiavipunctatum, from Hongkong (U.S. 

 N.M. No. 7387) has the following scale formula: 



sc. 19; V. 126; a 2; c. 85; 1. 9; t. 2+2; oc. 1-3. 



Doctor Wall, also in Hongkong specimens, found 5 postoculars 

 on one side in one, and four on both sides in another; one had 8 

 supralabials on both sides, fourth only touching the eye. 



The range of variation in coloration is very considerable, viz, from 

 nearly uniform dark with small white spots, due to the great size of 

 the blackish spots, to nearly uniform pale drab without any black 

 markings whatsoever. Two specimens from Formosa (No. 16 a, 

 Sci. Coll. and No. 36512 U.S.N.M.) show the latter peculiarity and in 

 every respect agree with the Himalayan specimens, which have been 

 called Tropidonotus sanctijohannis."- 



Habitat. — The known range of this species embraces the whole of 

 southeastern Asia from India to the Malay peninsula and archipelago, 

 as w^ell as Hainan and southern China as far north as Fokien. 



Its occurrence in Formosa was first discovered by Mr. Tada, who 

 collected five specimens at Taipa in November, 1897, as previously 

 recorded by me. 



In the collection recently acquired by the U. S. National Museum 

 from Mr. A. Owston, there is a very young N. piscator (U.S.N.M. No. 

 34051) the label of which indicated that it has been collected at 

 Mount Fuji. Here is undoubtedly a mistake, and it appears quite 

 certain that the specimen in c^uestion has become confused with 

 the four specimens of Talnjdromus tachydromoides (U.S.N.M. Nos. 

 34179-34183) said to have come from northern Formosa. This 

 suggestion is corroborated by the fact that the latter, although said 

 to have been collected on June 23, 1903, look as if they had been 

 preserved for a much longer period, while the Natrix, wliich is alleged 

 to date from August, 1898, is quite fresh. I therefore conclude that 

 the latter was collected in northern Formosa June 23, 1903. 

 (See p. 243.) 



a Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., I, p. 230, pi. xv, fig. 1. 



