93. OLIGODON. 233 



lower parts pinkish, with square black spots mostly arranged in 

 pairs. 



Total length 130 millim. ; tail 15. 



Minhla, Burma. 



93. OLIGODON. 



Oligodon, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 519 ; Wagler, Syst. Amjoh. p. 191 



(1830) ; Dum. ^ Bibr. Erp. Gin. vii. p. 54 (1854) ; Giinth. Cut. Col. 



Sn. p. 20 (1858) ; Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 1862, p. 36 ; 



Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 205 (1864) ; Bouleng. Faun. Ind., 



Rept. p. 317 (1890). 

 Calamaria, part., Sehleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 25 (1837). 

 Homalosoma, part., Jan, I. c. p. 33. 

 Rhynchocalamus, Giinth. Proc. Zool. Sac. 1864, p. 491. 

 Tripeltis, Cope, Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. xxiii. 1886, p. 487. 



Characters of Simotes, but maxillary teeth fewer still (G to 8), 

 and no pterygoid teeth, the palate being entii'ely edentulous or with 

 two or three teeth on each palatine. Scales in 15 or 17 rows. 



Southern Asia ; Lower Egypt. 



This genus may have to be united with the preceding, S. venustus, 

 being, as pointed out by Dr. Giinther (Ann. & Mag. N. H. (4) i. 

 1868, 1). 416), intermediate between Simotes and Oligodon. 



Sy)W2:>sis of the Species. 



I. Scales in 17 rows. 



A. Anal divided ; no loreal shield ; two postoculars. 



Portion of rostral seen from above as 



long as, or a little shorter than, its 



distance from the frontal ; latter 



shield as long as the paiietals 1. venustus, p. 235. 



Portion of rostral seen from above as 



long as or a little shorter than its 



distance from the frontal ; latter 



shield shorter than the parietals .... 2. travancoricics, p. 2.36. 

 Portion of rostral seen from above much 



shorter than its distance from the 



frontal 3. affinis, p. 236. 



B. Anal entire ; loreal usually present. 



Two postoculars ; subcaudals 35-46 . . 4. hitorquatus, p. 237. 

 Oue postocular ; subcaudals 52-62. ... 5. trilineatus, p. 238. 



II. Scales in 15 rows. 

 A. Anal entire. 



1. Nasal divided. 



One postocular ; no loreal ; only the 



third upper labial entering the eye . . 6. modestus, p. 238. 



