LEIOPYTHON GRACILIS. 15 



Shields on the head extending beyond the eyes; no pre-^ 

 frontals; the number of frenals and preoculars considera- 

 bly reduced; pits on the rostral, the upper and lower 

 labials; scales short, smooth, rombic. 



Leiopython gracilis n. sp. 



The number of shields on the top of the head is redu- 

 ced to eleven: two small iuternasals, two frontonasals 

 about thrice as large as the foregoing , one frontal , two 

 suboculars , two larger anterior and two smaller posterior 

 parietals with a few smaller scales enclosed between the 

 two latter pairs. The nasal plates are rather elongated ; 

 there is only one frenal and one preocular on either side. 

 Three or four postoculars. Rostral plate with two well 

 marked pits ; fourteen upper labials , the two foremost of 

 which are distinctly pitted ; sixteen lower labials , the seven 

 last but three of which are deeply pitted. 



There are 284 ventral shields , 79 subcaudals divided into 

 two along the median line and 49 to 51 longitudinal rows 

 of scales. Scales short and smooth , more or less polygo- 

 nal towards the tail. 



The colour (in spirits) of the back is a rather light 

 violet brown with a well marked iridescence , and a uniform 

 yellowish white on the belly and chin. The top of the 

 head is much darker than the back , although uniform as 

 well. There is a very small white spot behind the eye ; 

 the upper and lower labials have their anterior half dark 

 and their posterior half light colored which gives a char- 

 acteristic expression to the mouth. 



The only specimen in the Leyden Museum was found in 

 Salawatti, as stated above; it measures 102.5 cm. , of which 

 the head occupies 3.5 cm. , the tail 14 cm. 



Notes from the Leyden Museum. 



