89 



22. Tropidonotus subminiatus Schlegel. 



Tropidonotus subminiatus^ Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 1837, p. 313. 

 Tropidonotus subminiatus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. I 1893, P- 256. 

 Pseudoxenodon intermedius^ Lonnberg, Zool. Anz. XXII 1899, P- ^09- 

 Matrix subminiata^ Barbour, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv. Coll. XLIV 

 1912, p. III. 



Eye large; rostral just visible from above; internasals broadly 

 truncate in front, shorter than the praefrontals; frontal as long 

 as or longer than its distance from the tip of the snout, shorter 

 than the parietals; loreal as long as deep or more deep; one 

 prae- and three or four postoculars; temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; 

 eight upper labials, third to fifth entering the eye; five lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; latter slightly 

 shorter than the posterior. Scales in 19 rows, strongly keeled, 

 those of the outer row smooth; ventrals 132 — 175; anal divided; 

 subcaudals 65 — 87. 



Brown, grey or olive-green, uniform or with a black and 

 yellow network; neck often reddish; sometimes a dorso-lateral 

 series of light spots and a black oblique spot below the eye. 

 Young specimens with a black transverse band, bordered with 

 yellow behind on the nape. Lower surface yellow, usually 

 with a black dot on each side of each ventral. Length of 

 head and body 805 mm.; tail 255 mm. 



Nom. indig. Ular pitjung or ular lempeh (mal.). 



Habitat: Java (Gadok, Anjer, Batavia!, Weltevreden!, Bui- 

 tenzorg!, Sukabumi !, Semarang!, Salatiga !, Garum!, Kediri!, 

 Surabaja, Pasuruan); S. E. Borneo!; Celebes (Manado); Ter- 

 nate!. — Penang; Malay Peninsula; S. China; Burma; Assam; 

 Siam; E. Himalayas. 



Feeds on frogs and toads. 



23. Tropidonotus chrysargus Schlegel. 



Tropidonotus chrysargus^ Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 1837, p. 312, pi. XII, fig. 6 & 7. 



Tropidonotus chrysargus, Boulenger, Cat. Sn. I 1893, P- 258 (s. syn.). 



Matrix chrysarga^ Barbour, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv. Coll. XLIV 1912, p. 112. 



Eye large; rostral just visible from above; internasals broadly 

 truncate in front, as long as the praefrontals; frontal as long 

 as its distance from the tip of the snout, shorter than the 

 parietals; loreal about as deep as long; one or two prae- and 

 three postoculars; temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; eight or nine 

 upper labials, fourth to sixth or third to fifth entering the 



