242 MAJOR F. WALL, I.M.S., C.M.Z.S. 
A B 
Fig. 58.—Distira jerdont (x 2). 
I believe Mr. Boulenger is in error in supposing Jerdon’s specimen in the British 
Museum the type (vide Catalogue, 1896, vol iii, p. 299). A specimen of this species 
(No. 528) in the Royal College of Surgeons’ Museum, London, collected by Russell, on 
comparison with Russell’s plate xii (Ind. Serp., vol. 11, 1801) leaves little doubt in my 
mind is the original of the figure, and if my conviction is correct should be acknow- 
ledged the type. 
I have examined 17 examples. It is so very well differentiated from all the other 
species in the subfamily, and those of the genus to which it has been attached, that it 
is one of the few snakes that has not been confused with other forms. The costal 
rows (19 to 21) are fewer than in any other species of this genus. The infralabials 
being three only are absolutely distinctive, and so is the peculiar turtle-like snout. 
The descent of the large anterior temporal to the labial border is only seen in aberrant 
examples of two or three other species. 
Description.—Body anteriorly from about one-half to two-thirds the greatest 
depth posteriorly. 
Rostral,—the portion visible above is from three quarters, to equal to the 
internasal suture. Praefrontals,—touch no supralabial. (In one they touch the 
second on one side, and in another on both sides). Postoculars,—one (two in four 
examples, three of which on one side only). Temporals,—confluent with sixth 
supralabial to form a large shield. Often succeeded by another subequal shield. 
Supralabials,—five anterior to the temporo-labial, the third and fourth touching 
the eye. Infralabials,—three, the last touching two scales only behind, only the 
first two in contact with the anterior sublinguals; the suture between the first 
subequal to or rather shorter than that between the anterior sublinguals. Mar- 
ginals,—none. Sublinguals,—two rather poorly developed pairs, or only an 
anterior pair. Sometimes a confluence between the anterior and posterior on one or 
both sides occurs. Costals,—anterior 17 (16 in one, 18 in two examples), midbody 
19 to 21, posterior 19 to 21; imbricate throughout. Ventrals,—21g to 248 entire 
everywhere, twice or hardly twice the breadth of the last costal row. 
Colour.—Olivaceous dorsally, yellowish ventrally. Surrounded by 31 to 41 black 
bands, with usually an intermediate black spot or bar dorsally. In old specimens the 
bands may become obscured ventrally, and be converted into bars. In a specimen in 
