INTRODUCTION, 



This volume contains descriptions of 523 species of Snakes, 414 of 

 which are represented in the National Collection by 3324 specimens. 



The general classification is the same as that followed in 1890, 

 when dealing with the herpetological fauna of India * ; but I have 

 been able to introduce some improvements in the arrangement 

 of the genera. 



In order to render this Catalogue more useful to workers who 

 have not access to the Collection, the lists of specimens have fre- 

 quently been made to a certain extent descriptive of individual 

 variations of scaling or coloration. For every specimen the numbers 

 of ventral (V.) and caudal shields (C.)are given, and when necessary 

 also the number of longitudinal rows of scales (Sc). This will 

 enable those who differ from the author in their estimation of specific 

 characters to form a more correct idea of the material on which his 

 views are based, and thus to judge better of the correctness or fallacy 

 of his conclusions. 



Por Snakes with paired subcaudals it is to be understood that the 

 figures given refer to the number of pairs, not to the total number 

 of shields. In describing the temporal scutollation I have, unless 

 the contrary be stated, only given the numbers in the first two 

 rows; for instance, temporals 1 + 2 signifies that there is a single 

 temporal in front, immediately followed by a pair of superposed 

 shields, 2 + 3 meaning two superposed shields followed by three 

 disposed in the same manner. In counting the number of longi- 

 tudinal series of scales I have not, unless specially stated, chosen 



* ' The Fauna of British India. Eeptilia and Batrachia.' Lond., 1890. 8vo. 



