DOLIOPHIS. 



205 



Soath-Eastern Asia. 



Two species in the Malay Peninsula. Both are called lilar 

 siiia mata-hari, " sunbeam snake," by the Malays of Patani. 



Fig. 61. — Doliophis iniestinalis and B. Jiiuirgaitis, after Sordelli. 



225. DoliopMs bivirgatus. 



Elaps bivirgatus, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. .556 ; Cantor, Journ. Asiat. Soc. 



Bengal, xvi, p. 10.30 (1847). 

 Callophis bivirgatus, Giintb. Kept. I'vit. Ind. p. 348 (1864). 

 Doliophis bivirgatus, Boiileug. Cat. Sn. iii, p. 400 (1896) ; S. Flower, 



P. Z. S. 189(5, p. 895, and 1899, p. 692. 



Eye nearly as long as its distance from the moutb. Eostral a 

 little broader tban deep ; frontal large, longer than broad, as long 

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

 as or a little shorter than the parietals ; one prae- and two post- 

 oculars ; temporals 1-fl or 1 + 2; 6 upper labials, third and 

 fourth entering the eye. Scales in 13 rows. Ventrals 244-293 ; 

 anal entire ; subcaudals 34-53. Dark purple or blackish blue 

 above, highly iridescent ; head, tail, and lower parts coral-red ; one 

 or two pale blue lines on each side of the body, or a pale blue 

 stripe along the two outer rows of scales. Iris and tongue 

 black. 



Total length 1810 millim. 



Burma and Coehinchina to Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. 

 Generally distributed in the Malay Peninsula, especially plentiful 

 in the hill woods. A specimen from Kelantau, in Dr. Smart's 

 collection, ^^•as captured in the act of swallowing an Amblyceplialus 

 moellendorjffii. 



Experiments on the action of the poison of this and the 

 following species are much to be desired, in view of the extra- 

 ordinary development of the poison-glands. These snakes feed 

 chiefly on other snakes, but in captivity. Cantor says, they refuse 



