VIII. REMARKS ON SOME LITTLE 

 KNOW'N INDIAN OPHIDIA. 



By F. Wall, Major, I. M.S., C.M.Z.S. 



Through the courtesy of Dr. Annandale I have recently had 

 access to the large collection of snakes in the Indian Museum, an 

 examination of which has strengthened my convictions in many 

 cases, and enables me to describe several new species and remark 

 upon some rarities. 



Tropidonotus xenura, Wall. 



In the Bombay Natural History Society's Journal (vol. xvii, 

 p. 6i6) I described and figured a new species under the above 

 title, from a very sodden specimen submitted to me b}^ the 

 Bomba}^ Society'. The habitat of this was not known, and until 

 recently it appeared to be unique. 



In the Indian Museum I discovered, mixed up with several 

 specimens of Tropidonotus modestus, Giinther, four more examples 

 of this species, all of which are from Cherrapunji, Khasi Hills, 

 Assam. One of these is the No 4278 of Sclater's list. 



All these specimens agree with the type except that the anal 

 is divided in all. I think I was very probably in error in reporting 

 this shield entire in the type, for I remember that in the sodden 

 state of the specimen I found it difficult to decide the point to 

 my satisfaction. In the t^^pe, again, the tail was extensiveh^ 

 docked, but all the subcaudals present entire. In the four Indian 

 Museum examples the subcaudals are also all entire. The ventrals 

 and subcaudals are 161 + 107, 165+ ?, 158-f ?, 158 + 81. The tail 

 is imperfect in two. 



The divided state of the anal is remarkable. I cannot recall 

 another snake with entire subcaudals and a divided anal. 



The species bears a strong superficial resemblance to modestus, 

 but is very well differentiated and distinct. The differences 

 are as follows: (i) in modestus the subcaudals are all divided; (2) 

 in modestus there are two prseoculars, in xenura only one; (3) in 

 modestus there is one temporal, in xenura two; (4) in modestus 

 keels are absent in the last two or three rows in midbody, in xenura 

 all the rows are keeled. 



Tropidonotus chrysargus, Schlegel. 



Specimen No. 12680 in the Indian Museum from Tavoy, 

 referred by Sclater to the Japanese species vihakari, is an abnormal 



