211 



Type-specimen received from the Indian Museum, Calcutta, 

 examined. 



Habitat: "Malay Archipelago"! (Java?). 

 Only one single specimen known. 



Fig. 81. Dipsadoidcs dccipiens Annandale. X ^Z*- Side view of head. 



50. Chrysopelea Boie. 



(BoiE, Isis, p. 520, 1827). 



Head distinct from neck; eye large; pupil round. Maxillary 

 teeth 20 — 22, last three longest and grooved; anterior mandi- 

 bular teeth longest. Body long, compressed, covered with smooth 

 or feebly keeled scales, oblique, with pits, in 17 rows; ventrals 

 with a keel and a notch on each side. Tail long; subcaudals 

 in two rows, keeled and notched. 



Distribution. S. E. Asia. 



The tree-snakes belonging to the genus Chrysopelea are known 

 as Flying-Snakes, because they can suddenly descend from 

 trees, keeping their bodies very rigid. The part of the ventral 

 scales between the lateral keels can be made concave. 



Key to the Indo-Australian species. 



A. Three or more dorsal rows of scales feebly keeled • 



subcaudals 146 — 186; ventrals 192 — 221 i. C. rhodopleuron p. 212. 



