ANCISTRODON. 213^ 



232. Ancistrodon rhodostoma. 



Trigonocephalus rhodostoma, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 561. 

 Calloselasma i-liodostoma, Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 391 (1864). 

 Ancistrodon rhodostoma, Bouleng. Cat. Sn. iii, p. 527 (1896) ; id. 

 Fascic. Malay., Zool. i, p. 170 (1903). 



Snout pointed, somewhat turned up at the end. Eostral as 

 deep as broad, or a little deeper than broad ; frontal as long as or 

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

 as or a little shorter than the parietals ; upper praeocular sepa- 

 rated from the posterior nasal by a loreal ; one or two postoculars 

 and one subocular, separating the eye from the labials ; loreal pit 

 separated from the labials ; 7 to 9 upper labials. Scales smooth, 

 in 21 rows. Ventrals 138-159 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 33-54 

 pairs. Eeddish, greyish, or pale brown above, with large angular, 

 dark brown, black-edged spots disposed in opposite pairs or alter- 

 nating ; a dark brown vertebral line ; lips yellowish or pink, 

 powdered with brown ; a broad dark brown, black-edged band . 

 festooned below, from the eye to the angle of the mouth, with a 

 light band above it ; yellowish beneath, uniform or powdered or 

 spotted with greyish brown. 



Total length 810 millim. ; tail 90, 



Siara, Malay Peninsula, Java. 



Fig. 64. — Ancistrodon rhodostoma. 



This handsome snake, somewhat suggestive of a Python in its 

 markings, was long known from Java only, where it is regarded 

 as one of the most dangerous poisonous snakes, cases being known 

 of men dying five minutes after being bitten. In the neighbour- 

 hood of Biserat and Kuala Jalor, where it was discovered by 

 Messrs. Annandale and Eobinson, and does not seem to be at all 

 uncommon, the natives do not believe its bite to be fatal. It lies- 



