MACllOPISTHODON. 120' 



than broad, as loug as or a little shorter than its distance from the 

 end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; loreal as long as 

 deep, or deeper ; one prae- and 3 or 4 (rarely 2 or 5) postoculars ; 

 temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; 8 (rarely 7) upper labials, fourth and 

 fifth (or third and fourth) entering the eye ; 5 or 6 lower labials, 

 in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin-shields- 

 longer than the anterior. Scales very strongly keeled, in 19 rows. 

 Ventrals 120-138; anal divided ; sabcaudals 49-60. Body black, 

 young with greyish-white or pale olive cross-bars, widening 

 towards the sides, and of \\'hich at least traces persist in the adult ;. 

 a broad orange band across the nape, sometimes disappearing in 

 the adult, separated from the head, which is yellowish brown or 

 olive, by a broad black band ; belly olive, with black cross-bands^ 

 or entirelv black. 



Total length 840 millim. ; tail 190. 



Malay Peninsula, where it is very common, Sumatra, Borneo. 



134. Macropisthodon rhodomelas. 



Tropidonntus rhodomeias, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 535. 



Macropisthodon rhodomeias, Bouleng. Cat. Sn. i, p. 266 (1893) ; S". 



Flower, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 880, and 1899, p. 664 ; Ridley, Journ. 



Straits Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc. 1899, p. 198. 



Maxillary teeth 12 to 15 + 2. Rostral at least twice as broad 

 as deep ; internasals shorter than the praefrontals ; frontal once 

 and one fourth lo once and one third as long as broad, a little 

 longer than its distance from the end of the snout, a little shorter 

 than the parietals ; loreal as long as deep or a little deeper ; 

 one praeocular, usually with a small subocular below ifc ; 3 or 4 post- 

 oculars ; temporals 2+2, 2 + 3, or 3 + 3: 7 (rarely 8j upper 

 labials, third and fourth (or fourth and fifth) entering the eye ; 

 4 or 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; 

 both pairs of chin-shields broad and subequal in length, or hinder 

 pair the longer. Scales strongly keeled, in 19 rows. Ventrals 

 124-138 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 42-58. Greyish or pale reddish 

 brown above, with a dai'k brown or black vertebral stripe, which 

 expands into a V-shaped bluish blotch on the nape ; lips, throat,. 

 and sides oE belly pink, middle of belly yellow ; a series of small 

 black spots along each side of the belly. 



Total length 520 millim. ; tail 85. 



Malay Peninsula (Pahang, Perak, Selangor, Patani, Kelantan^ 

 Singapore) and Arcliipelago. Rarer than the foregoing species. 



Common at Singapore, in short grass and among low bushes. 



According to Ridley, " its peculiarity is its means of defence. 

 When vexed, it sits up after the manner of a cobra, and seems to 

 flatten out its neck as if it were trying to imitate that species, 

 while from the bluish patch on its neck are exuded some drops 



K 



