CYLINDEOPHIS. Ill 



suture with its fellow behind the rostral ; no loreal or prae- 

 ocular; a small postocular ; a mental groove. Body cylindrical ; 

 scales smooth, in 19 or 21 rows ; ventrals feebly enlarged. Tail 

 extremely short and blunt. 



South-Eastern Asia. 



Two species in the Malay Peninsula : — 



Diameter of eye 2 to 3 times in its distance from 



nostril and not more than twice in its distance 



from border of mouth C. rufus, p. 111. 



Diameter of eye about 4 times in its distance from 



nostril and more than twice in its distance from 



border of mouth C. Uneatus, p. 111. 



117. CylindropMs rufus. 



Ant/uis ntfa, Laur. Syn. Eept. p. 71 (1768). 



Ci/lindrophis rufus, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 46 (1842) ; Cantor, Journ. 



Asiat. Soc. Bengal, xvi, p. 900 (1847) ; Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. 



p. 179 (1864) ; Bouleng-. Faun. Brit. Ind., Rept. p. 250 (1890J ; id. 



Cat. Sn. i, p. 135 (1893) ; S. Flower, P. Z. S. 1899, p. 650, 



pi. xxxvii, hg. 3. 



Diameter of eye 2 to 3 times in its distance from nostril, not 

 more than twice in its distance from border of mouth ; distance 

 between eyes greater than length of snout ; fi'ontal at least as 

 large as supraocular, a little larger than ])arietals ; 6 upper labials, 

 third and fourth entering the eye. Scales in 19 or 21 rows. 

 Ventrals 186-24.5 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 5-10. Iridescent 

 black, with or without alternating whitish or pale brown cross- 

 bands above, Avith transverse white or pale yellow bands beneath ; 

 an orange collar sometimes present ; a bright vermilion mark 

 on the tail often present. 



Total length 825 millim. 



Generally distributed from Burma and Siam to the Malay 

 Peninsula. Called Ular 1>:epala dim (" two-headed snake ") by 

 the Malays. 



This burrowing snake has been observed by Capt. Plower to 

 have the power of depressing its body. When touched or worried 

 it will not attempt to strike or bite, but keeps its head flat on the 

 ground and raises its tail off the ground in such a manner that any 

 casual observer would imagine the tail was the head aud think the 

 snake to be threatening to strike. 



The young are brought forth alive. 



118. Cylindrophis lineatus. 



Blanf. P. Z. S. 1881, p. 217, pi. xx; Bouleng. Cat. Sn. i, p. 137 

 (1893). 



Diameter of eye about 4 times in its distance from nostril, more 

 than twice in its distance from border of mouth ; distance between 

 ■eyes equal to length of snout ; frontal about as large as the supra- 

 ocular and a little larger than the parietal ; 6 upper labials, third 



