93. olioodon. 

 Table showing Numbers of Scales and Shields. 



235 



veuKxhis 



travancoricus .. 



(iffiv is 



hitoT((iiafus 



triluietdus 



viodeatus 



notospihcs 



evcretti 



propinquus 



brevicauda 



dorsalis 



templetonii 



xuhlineatus 



elliofi 



suhgriseus 



vertehralis 



waandersii 



melanocejihalua 



1, Oligodon venustus. 



Oligodon venustus, Jerdon, Journ. As. Soc. lieng. xxii. 1853, p. 528; 



Boulcmf/. Faun. Lid., Sejjt. p. 317 (1890). 

 Siaiotes binotatus {no7i D. ^- B.), Giinth. Cat. p. 24 (1858). 

 venustus, Giinth. Sejjt. Brit. Ind. p. 213 (1864), and Ann. ^ 



Mag. N. H. (4) i. 1868, p. 416. 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above as long as 

 its distance from the frontal or a little shorter ; suture between 

 the internasals shorter than that between the prasfrontals ; frontal 

 longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the 

 parietals ; no loreal, the posterior nasal sometimes forming a 

 suture with the prneocular ; prjeocular single ; two postoculars ; 

 temporals 1 + 2; usually seven (rareljf six) upper labials, third and 

 fourth entering the eye, sixth frequently excluded from the labial 

 border and taking the position of a lower anterior temporal ; four 

 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior 

 chin-shields one half to two thirds the length of the anterior. 

 Scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 143-162; anal divided; subcaudals 

 28-36. Pale brown or greyish above, with a series of paired large 

 oval or rhomboidal blackish spots edged with yellowish, which are 

 usually united mesiaily ; a large, more irregular spot below each 

 dorsal spot ; head-markings consisting of a crescentic anterior 

 cross band, passing through the eye, an oblique band on each side, 

 from the parietal to below the angle of the mouth, and a broad 

 angular band on the nape ; top of head frequently with black vermi- 

 culations. Lower surfaces black and yellow, the two colours in 

 nearly equal proportions, except under the tail, where the yellow 

 predominates, or where sometimes black spots are entirely wanting. 



