127 



Purple or brown above, with dark, black-edged, wavy bands 

 or with yellowish transverse bands; a large, pointed, dark 

 brown marking on the occiput and nape, the point on the 

 frontal, often confluent with a dark band, passing through the 

 eyes; a dark oblique streak on the temporal region. Lower 

 surface yellowish, pinkish or coral-red v/ith square dark spots. 

 Young specimens greyish with about 14 black transverse bands, 

 broadest on the middle of the back and edged with light, the 

 broad interspaces with 5 narrow black wavy bands. Mead with 

 usual black markings. Total length 950 mm. 



Habitat: Nias ! ; Mentawei Islands (Sipora) ; Sumatra (Sabang 

 on Pulu Weh!, Atjeh, Labuan, Deli!, Indragiri, Djambi!, Bunga 

 Maas, Gunung SahilanI, Palembang); Borneo (Labuan, Saiap 

 on Mt. Kina Balu, Saribas, Kuching, Pangkalan ampat, Matang, 

 Kidi district, Paku, Penrissen Road, Buntok, Samarinda!); Java! 

 (Tengger Mts. 1200 M.). — Singapore; Penang; Malay Penin- 

 sula; Siam: Cochin China; S. China. 



Note. Simotes phaenochaliniis Cope is mentioned from Java (?) 

 in Boulenger's Catalogue II p. 225. This locality does not 

 seem probable, as the species occurs in the Philippines only. 

 No recent publication about the Reptiles of the Sunda Islands 

 enumerates S. pliaenochaliniis among the snakes of Java. 



26. Oligodon Boie. 



(BoiE, Isis, p. 519, 1827). 



Head short, not distinct from neck; eye small; pupil round; 

 internasals present or absent. Maxillary teeth 6 — 8, posterior 

 strongly enlarged; pterygoid toothless; palatines toothless or 

 with two or three teeth. Body round, covered with smooth 

 scales in 15 or 17 rows; ventrals rounded or with an obtuse 

 lateral keel. Tail short; subcaudals in two rows. 



Distribution. S. E. Asia; Syria; Lower Egypt. 



Key to the Indo-Australian species. 



A. Scales in 17 rows. 



I. Internasals present; anal entire. 



a. Two postoculars; subcaudals 30 — 46 . . . \. 0. bitorquatus p. 128. 



b. One postocular; subcaudals 52 — 62 .... 2. O. trilineatus p. 129. 

 II. Internasals absent 5 anal divided 3. C*. durheimi p. 129. 



