COLUBER. 141 



149. Coluber melanurus. 



Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii, p. 141, pi. v, fio-s. 11 & 12 (1837) ; Boulen^. 



Faun. Brit. Ind., Rept. p. 334 (1890); id. Cat. Sii. ii, p. 60 



(1894). 

 Coinpsosoma melaniirum, Giintli. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 244 (1864). 



Malay name, Uiar tilcus. 



Rostral broader than deep ; internasals shorter than the prae- 

 froutals ; frontal 1^ to 1\ times as long as broad, as long as or a 

 little longer than its distance from the end of the snont, shorter 

 than the parietals ; Joreal not or but slightly longer than deep : 

 a large proeocular ; 2 postoculars ; temporals 24-2 or 2 + 3; 

 9 upper labials, fourth to sixth entering the eye ; 5 or 6 lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are as long 

 as the posterior. Scales in 19 rows, rather strongly keeled; all 

 caudal scales keeled. A'entrals with an obtuse lateral keel, 

 193-234; anal entire; subcaudaLs 89-115. Grey or pale brown 

 anteriorly, with a yellow or reddish, black-edged vertebral stripe, 

 which becomes gradually more and more indistinct towards the 

 hinder part of the body, which, like the tail, is darker brown or 

 black ; a series of black spots on each side of the anterior part of 

 the body, of ocelli with bright yellow centres in the young ; some 

 adults nearlyuuiform blackish brown ; a black streak below the 

 eye ; an oblique black streak from the eye to the mouth, and 

 another on the temple and neck. 



Total length 1800 millim. ; tail 400. 



Southern China and Burma to Malay Peninsula and Archi- 

 pelago. Generally distributed in the Malay Peninsula. 



150. Coluber radiatus. 



Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii, p. 135, pi. v, figs. 5 & 6 (1837) ; Cantor, 

 Journ. Asiat. ISoc. Bengal, xvi, p. 920 (1847) ; Bouleng. Faun. 

 Brit. Ind., Rept. p. 333 (1890) ; id. Cat. Sn. ii, p. 61 (1894). 



Compsosoma radiatum, Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 243 (1864). 



Malay name, Ular talii Tcerhau. 



Eostral a little broader than deep ; internasals shorter than the 

 prsefrontals ; frontal 1^ to 1| times as long as broad, as long as 

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

 shorter than the parietals; loreal usually longer than deep; a 

 large prseocular; 2 postoculars; temporals usually 2 + 2; 8 or 9 

 upper labials, third to fifth, fourth and fifth, or fourth to sixth 

 entering the eye ; 4 or 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior 

 chin-shields, which are as long as the posterior. Scales in 19 rows, 

 more or less strongly keeled on posterior half of body, outer series 

 smooth. A^entrals with an obtuse lateral keel, 224-245 ; anal 

 entire; subcaudals 85-100. Yellowish brown above, with one or 

 two black stripes on each side of the anterior half of the back, the 

 lower usually broken up ; a black line across the occiput ; thi*ee 



