93. OLIGODON. 235 
TABLE sHow1ne NumBERs oF ScALES AND SHIELDS. 
Se. AVE JAD: C. Lab. 
MENUSUUST Hine yaa7 sete caine 17 | 143-162} 2 28-36 | 7 (6) 
EPAVANCOTICUS «20. .0.e00ceeee 17 | 145-151 2 30-37 | 7 
GNDIOS cd ge ae OD SOE CEE 17 ‘| 129-142 2 25-30) Wed 
QUOT GUCEUS nots vscaave seat ene 17 | 140-155 1 35-46 | 7 
UPUMMEGLUS o oe .cccsooecueesss 17 ‘| 145-157 1 52-62 | 7 
MROGESLUS ta eriemne feaceaacent 15 | 158—1'70 1 41 6 
MLOLOSPUUS ease cere ee ce ees ee 15 142 I 2 7 
EVOL EUGUM Ee ame dor aiden neste 15 154 1 46 7 
PTOPUNQUUS .0.c2..0%00-00000- 15 140 1 27 7 
GrEVICAUAE «oo. .cer.cecedsace 15 | 164-173 2 ASA) Nl 7/ 
COT SUUIST Henne Rasen See 15 1274-188) 2 Sills 
CEMPUCLO NRE eee ne eeee cee: 15 |135-152|} 2 28-31 | 7 
SUDLINEALUS «2.00. .0ceceeee- 15 | 186-160 2 26-35 | 7 
CULOEE Piece sOteene ees 15 152 2 29 a 
SUDGTISOUS) vase nuease sec eeet 15 {158-218 2 388-56 | 7 
VERTEOT ANUS oi mceass /acteek ae 15 154 2 54 of 
ORG OTI RSG cone cconcnereceas 1S | 145=15] 2 22-28 | 6 
melanocephalus ........-... 15 |181-229| 2 53-68 | 7 
1. Oligodon venustus. 
Oligodon venustus, Jerdon, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xxii. 1853, p. 528; 
Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Rept. p. 317 (1890). 
Simotes binotatus (non D. § B.), Giinth. Cat. p. 24 (1858). 
-— venustus, Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 2138 (1864), and Ann. & 
Mag. N. H. (4) i. 1868, p. 416. 
Nasal divided; portion of rostral seen from above as long as 
its distance from the frontal or a little shorter; suture between 
the internasals shorter than that between the prefrontals ; frontal 
longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the 
parietals; no loreal, the posterior nasal sometimes forming a 
suture with the preocular; preocular single; two postoculars ; 
temporals 1+ 2; usually seven (rarely six) upper labials, third and 
fourth entering the eye, sixth frequently excluded from the labial 
border and taking the position of a Jower anterior temporal; four 
lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; posterior 
chin-shields one half to two thirds the length of the anterior. 
Seales in 17 rows. Ventrals 143-162; anal divided; subcaudals 
28-36. Pale brown or greyish above, with a series of paired large 
oval or rhomboidal blackish spots edged with yellowish, which are 
usually united mesially ; a large, more irregular spot below each 
dorsal spot; head-markings consisting of a crescentic anterior 
cross band, passing through the eye, an oblique band on each side, 
from the parietal to below the angle of the mouth, and a broad 
angular band on the nape ; top of head frequently with black vermi- 
culations. Lower surfaces black and yellow, the two colours in 
nearly equal proportions, except under the tail, where the yellow 
predominates, or where sometimes black spots are entirely wanting. 
