THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 41 
nostril between two nasal shields. Body cylindrical, greatly 
elongate. Scales smooth, in 13 rows; ventrals rounded ; sub- 
caudals in 2 rows. 
Five species are known :— 
(1) C. gracilis—Red or pale brown, with three longitudinal 
black lines passing through brown, or black spots; the lateral spots 
alternating with the vertebræ. Black and yellow bands under the 
tail and on the belly. 
Total length, 740 millimetres; tail 35. 
Habitat : Malay Peninsula, Sumatra. 
(2) C. trimaculatus.—Head and nape black, with a yellow spot 
on each side of the occiput ; belly uniform red ; tail with two black 
rings. 
Total length, 335 millimetres ; tail 21. 
Habitat : India and Burma. 
(3) C. maculiceps.—Head and nape black, with one or two 
yellow bands on each side. Belly red, two black rings on the tail. 
Diameter of the eyes equal to two-thirds of the space separating 
them from the mouth. 
Total length, 485 millimetres ; tail 30. 
Habitat : Burma, Indo-China, Malay Peninsula. 
(4) C. macclellandii.—-Head and neck black, with a yellow 
transverse band behind the eyes. The space separating the eyes 
equal to that separating them from the mouth. Colour reddish- 
brown on the back, with regular and equi-distant black streaks ; 
belly yellow, with black bands or quadrangular spots. The head 
exhibits two black transverse bands separated by a yellow band. 
Total length, 620 millimetres; tail 55. 
Habitat : Nepal, Sikkim, Assam, Burma, Southern China. 
(5) C. bibronii.—Met with by Beddome in the forests of Malabar, 
at an altitude of 3,280 feet. Back purplish-brown, with a pearly 
lustre, and about forty irregular black transverse bands, extending 
to the tip of the tail. Head black in front, cherry-red on the 
occiput. 
