196 



COLUBRID.E. 



as long as oi' a little longer than the parietal s ; nasal in contact 

 with or narrowly separated from the prteocular ; one prae- and two 

 postoculars ; temporals 1+2 or 2 + 2; 6 upper labials, fourth 

 entering the eye ; anterior chin-shields shorter than the posterior, 

 which are separated by an azygous shield. Scales smooth, in 17 

 rows. Ventrals 131—142. Dark brown above, with cross-bands 

 of yellow, black-edged scales, often broken up on the vertebral 

 line ; these bands widening towards the belly, which is yellow, 

 with or without dark brown spots. 



Total length 559 millim. ; tail 80. 



Coasts of Singapore, Java, and the Philippines. Boettger records 

 three specimens from Singapore, and Flower obtained one caught 

 on some flooded land near the Serangoon Road. 



Another specimen, from Java, was kept alive by Flower for 

 about a month. It was gentle when handled, never attempting to 

 bite. It could move fast, but awkwardly, on dry land, and some- 

 times would crawl out of tlie water of its own accord. 



Genus PLATURUS. 



Daudin, Hist. Rept. vii, p. 223 (1803). 



Maxillary much shorter than the ectopterygoid, extending for- 

 wards beyond the palatine, with two large poison-fangs ; one or 

 two small teeth near the posterior extremity of the maxillary. 



Fio'. 59. — Head of Platunis laticaudatus. 



Head shields large ; nostrils lateral, the nasals separated by inter- 

 nasals ; prfeocuiar ]n-esent ; no loreal. Body much elongate ; 

 scales smooth and imbricate ; ventrals and subcaudals large. 



Eastern parts of the Indian Ocean and AYest Pacilic. 



Only one species has been recorded from the Malay Peninsula. 



