HEEPETOLOGY OF JAPAN. 393 



as sixth; 6 lower labials, four in contact with anterior chin-shields, 

 fourth very large; posterior chin-shields about as large as anterior; 

 13 rows of smooth scales; 240 ventrals"; anal divided; 34 pairs of 

 siibcaudals." Color (in alcohol) above dull reddish gray, with 31 

 yellow-edged l)lack rings on the body and 4 on the tail, the bands 

 being one scale wide on the back and two ventrals wide on the under- 

 side; halfway between the rings on the back two black spots about 

 5 scales apart to within 4 rings from the vent, and on the under- 

 side a single rounded large black blotch on the median line; a black 

 collar about three scales wide just back of temporals and including 

 the extreme posterior angle of the parietals; another black 1)and 

 from edge of lip through eye and involving anterior third of frontal 

 and the prefrontals; snout in front of this band, as well as the rest 

 of the head between the two black bands yellow. 



Dimensions. 



vim. 



Total length *100 



Snout to vent -^63 



Vent to tip of tail 37 



Variation. — The only feature worthy of notice is the great range 

 in the number of ventrals, as shown by the Indian and Chinese 

 specimens in British Museum, the extremes being 182 and 240. It 

 should be noted, however, that the latter figure is that of the only 

 specimen thus far recorded from Formosa, and that there is a wide 

 gap between it and the other specimens in this respect. It is not 

 beyond the bounds of probability that the Formosan specimen may 

 represent a separate form characterized by a greater number of 

 ventrals. 



Habitat. — Extending from Assam and Burma in the west to south- 

 ern China and Formosa in the east. It is recorded from the moun- 

 tains north of Kiuldang, and also from high altitudes (3,000 to 4,000 

 feet) in the province of Fokien. 



A single specimen collected by Swinhoe and now in the British 

 Museum is known from Formosa. 



List of specimens of Calliophis macclellandii. 



Brit. 

 Mils. 



No. 



Sox and ago. 



Locality. 



Male" Formosa 



Half grown '>' Kiulviang Mountains, China. 



Male b ' Soutliern Cliina 



do. c Kuatun, Kokien 



When 

 col- 

 lected. 



By whom collected. 



R. Swinhoe 



A. E. Pratt 



J. C. Bowring. . . 

 J. D. La Touche. 



a Description, p. 392. » Boulenger, Cat. Ill, p. 399. c Boulengcr, Proc. Zool. See, 1899, p. 166. 



« According to Boulenger's count. 



