HERPETOLOGY OF JAPAN. 



341 



habitat of the type of C. nebulosus, which is said to have been 

 ''obtained by Mr. Whitely at Nagasaki" is undoubtedly erroneous, 

 and it is ahnost certain tliat all the birds and reptiles recorded as 

 obtained by him at that place were not actually collected there. 

 They are of much more southern origin, most probably from some 

 group of the Riu Kius. 



Description. — Young — Science College Museum, Tokyo, Japan, No. 

 15; Miyakoshima, Saki shima group; figs. 290-292. Rostral about as 

 broad as high, visible from above; internasals very small, the suture 

 between them less than one-half the suture between the prefrontals; 

 frontal much longer than its distance from the tip of the snout and 

 equally suture between parietals; nostril large, extending nearly the 

 entire height of the nasal; loreal trapezoidal higher behind, slightly 

 longer than high; one preocular not in contact with frontal; two post- 



291 



Figs. 290-292.— Liopeltis semicarinata. 2 X nat. size. 290. top of head; 291, side of head; 292, 



UNDERSIDE OF HEAD. No. ITi. Scl. CoLL. ToKYO. 



oculars; temporals 1+2, large; eight supralabials, seventh and eighth 

 largest, si.xth rather smaller than fifth, fourth and fifth entering eye; 

 four lower labials in contact with anterior chin-shields, which are as 

 long as the posterior; 15 scale rows, median nine rows with a slight 

 indication of keel at the base, outer three on each side smooth, all 

 without apical pits; ventrals, 189; anal divided; subcaudals, 80 pairs. 

 Color (in alcohol) above olive gray, with numerous obscure ''nebulous" 

 spots of dusky on the anterior third of body posteriorly grading into 

 two indistinct dark longitudinal lines on each side, including a paler 

 band about two scales wide, a dusky narrow line frequently inter- 

 rupted marking the boundary between scales and ventrals; top and 

 sides of head, except labials, uniform olive gray with a minute black 

 spot on each parietal near the middle of the suture between them; 

 entire lower surface and supralabials uniform whitish, the last two 

 with posterior margins blackish. 



Dimensions. 



mm. 



Total length 285 



Snout to vent 225 



Vent to tip of tail , 60 



