15 



Shnpe — Head: small, rounded; not distinct from neck. 

 Body: cylindrical. Rudiments of hind limbs are 

 usually just distinguishable as a claw-like spur 

 each side of the vent. 



Tail : extremely short, blunt with a smooth end. 



Eye : very small ; pupil round or vertical. 



Head shields — Large, symmetrical shields present. No 



internasals. Nasal single. It forms a suture 



with its fellow behind the rostral. No loreal 



or prse- ocular. Upper labials 6 (3, 4). 



Scales -t 19 or 21, smooth. 



Ventrals — 184 to 245, anal bifid, Sub-caudals 5 — 10. The 

 ventrals are very narrow, not quite twice as 

 large as the contiguous scales. 



Colour — Brown or black above ; with or without alter- 

 nating light cross-baads. Belly white with 

 transverse black bands or spots ; or black with 

 transverse white bands. 

 Lower surface of tail briefht vermillion durinsr life. 



Habitat— Burma,, where it is not uncommon. 



THE ROUGH-TAILED EARTH SNAKE (Silyhura ocellata). 



Length-^6 to 20 inches. 



Shape — Head : small, narrow, conical, with pointed snout. 



Not distinct from neck. 

 Body : cylindrical, rigid. 

 Tail : very distinctive. It is very short and 



truncated obliquely ; slightly flattened, with 



strongly keeled scales on the upper surface. 



The terminal scale or shield ends in two small 



points. 

 Eye : very small, with round pupil. 

 Teeth : few and small. No palatine teeth. 



