lOHTHYOPHIS. 285 



forming an angle on the belly. Tail distinct though rudimentary, 

 pointed. 



Two species : — 



A yellow lateral band I. glatinosas, p. 285. 



Uniform brown or blackish /. monochrous, p. 286. 



303. Ichthyophis glutinosus. 



Cfecilia glutinosa, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 393 (1766). 

 JEpicrium f/lutinosuin, Giintli. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 441 (1864). 

 Ichthyophis r/lutinosus, Bouleng. Cat. Batr. Caud. p. 515 (1882) ; 



id. Faun. Brit. Ind., Rept. p. 515, fig. (1890) ; S. Flower, P.Z. S. 



1899, p. 914 ; Laidlaw, P. Z. S. 1900, p. 890. 



Both series of mandibular teeth well developed. Snout rounded, 

 the width of the head between the eyes equals the distance of 

 the eye from the end of the snout ; eyes easily distinguishable ; 

 tentacle small, in fi'ont of the eye, close to the lip. Body cylin- 

 drical, moderately elongate, with the circular folds (except those 

 on the hindmost part of the body) alternately longer aud shorter. 

 Very dark rich purple in life, each circular fold showing as a 

 narrow paler line ; along each side of the body a bright lemon- 

 yellow, sharply defined band, varying much in width ; tentacle 

 white. 



According to Flower, the eyes, though so small, are bright ; 

 they are black, with a very narrow pale brown ring x'ouud them. 



Total length 380 millim. 



Inhabits the hilly parts of Southern India and Ceylon, the 

 Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Burma, Siara, the Malay Peninsula, 

 Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. In the Malay Peninsula this 

 Csecilian has been found in Penang (1800 to 2200 feet), in Perak 

 (3000 to 4000 feet), at Biserat, Jalor, and on Gunoug Panti, 

 Johore. It does not seem to be common anywhere, but is 

 apparently more abundant in the N.E. portions of the Peninsula 

 than elsewhere. 



These curious Batrachians are found in damp situations, usually 

 in soft mud. Flower says " ia life the tentacles are constantly 

 being protruded and retracted, and the throat is in constant 

 motion, like a frog's. These creatures are gentle and make no 

 attempt to bite ; although their usual movements are very slow 

 and deliberate, when they want to they can wriggle away with 

 surprising speed. They do not feel at all slimy wlien handled." 



The complete development has been observed in Ceylon and 

 described by the Drs. Sarasia (Ergebn. Naturw. Forsch. auf 

 Ceylon, vol. ii). The eggs are very large, yellowish, strung 

 together by a prolongation of the outer capsule, and rolled in a 

 ball, deposited in a burrow near the water. The female protects 

 them by coiling herself round the egg-mass, which the young do 

 not leave until after the loss of the hirge external gills, three on 

 each side ; they then lead an aquatic life, and are provided with 



