148 COLUBRIDiE. 



South-Eastern Asia. Five species have been recorded from the 

 Malay Peninsula. 



Small terrestrial snakes, feeding chiefly on lizards and smaller 

 snakes. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Scales in 19 or 21 rows ; anal entire ; two 

 superposed anterior temporals. 

 Frontal considerably longer than its distance 



from the end of th'e snout . 'S'. pwpurascens, p. 148. 



Frontal as long as or a little longer than its 



distance from the end of the snout S. cyclurus, p. 149. 



II. Scales iu 17 rows. 

 Anal entire ; two superposed anterior tem- 

 porals ; G upper labials -S'. octolineatus, p. 149. 



Anal entire ; a single anterior temporal ; 



7 upper labials -^ ■ ■ S. sifpiatiis, p. 150. 



Anal divided ; a single anterior temporal ; 7 or 



8 upper labials '^'- cnientatus, p. 150. 



157. Simotes purpurascens. 



Xenodon purpurusce7is, Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii, p. 90, pi. iii, figs. 13 

 & 14 (1837); Cantor, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, xvi, p. 914 

 (1847). 



Simotes labuanensis , Giintb. Eept. Brit. Ind. p. 217 (18C4). 



Simotes trinotatus, Giinth. op. cit. p. 219. 



Simotes ijurpumscens, Bouleng. Cat. Sn. ii, p. 218 (1894); S, Flower, 

 P. Z. S. 1899, p. 671. 



Portion of rostral visible from above as long as its distance 

 from the frontal ; suture bet^^■een the internasals as long as or 

 longer than that between the praefrontals ; frontal large, consider- 

 ably longer than its distance from the end of tlie snout, as long as 

 or longer than the parietals ; loreal as long as deep ; 1 or 2 prse- 

 oculars, with 1 or 2 suboculars below ; 2 or 3 postoculars ; tem- 

 porals 2-1-3 or 2 -(-2; usually 8 upper labials, fourth and fifth 

 entering the eye, or fourth excluded by the second subocular ; 

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

 which are about twice as long as the posterior. Scales in 19 or 

 21 rows. Ventrals 160-210, angulate laterally; anal entire; 

 subcaudals 40-60. Brown or deep purple above, with darker, 

 black-edged sinuous transverse bands, or with yellowish black- 

 ed^ed cross-bars ; a large arrow-headed dark brown marking on 

 the occiput and nape, with the apex on the frontal aud usually 

 confluent with a dark-brown chevron-shaped transvei'se band 

 passing through the eyes ; a dark oblique temporal streak ; belly 

 vello\\ish or pinkish buff, with square blackish spots, which may 

 be confined to the sides. 



Total length 680 millim. ; tail 110. 



