542 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI, 



at Singapore. I found it a common snake about Hongkong, but it 

 appeura to be a rare snake as far north as the Yangtse Valley in China. 

 Description. — Rostral in contact with 5-7 shields, the sutures made 

 with the nasals being three to four times those made with the fi rst 

 supralabials. Jnternasals one pair, sometimes in contact behind the 

 rostral, sometimes separated in front by one or two scales. Supra- 

 ocular a single well developed shield each side. Nasal normally 

 undivided ; frequently more or less confluent with the first supralabial ; 

 frequently more or less separated from second supralabial by one or 

 more minute intercalary scales. Supraloreals usually single, and not in 

 contact with the internasals. Prceoculars three. The two lowest, 

 divergent forwards, bound the loreal pit. Suboculars crescentic, may or 

 may not touch the third supralabial, one or two rows of scales between 

 it and fourth supralabial. Temporal smooth or shaped like the carapace 

 of a tortoise, never truly keeled. Supralabials nine to twelve; the 

 second with a groove in the upper half sloping into the loreal pit ; 

 none touch the eye. Sublinguals one pair. Infralabials.— The first form 

 a suture behind the mental ; first, second, and usually the third also, 

 touch the sublinguals. Scales two heads lengths behind the head 21 

 (rarely 20 — 19) ; midbody 21 (rarely 23 or 19) ; two heads lengths in 

 front of vent 15 (rarely 17 or 13). Apices very acuminate. Last row 

 much largest. Keels narrow towards tips of scales, and present in all the 

 rows, except the last, for a variable extent anteriorly. Supracaudals in 

 even numbers of rows, keels faint till lost in the sixes. Ventrals 145 — 175 

 (Boulenger). Anal entire. Subcaudals 53 — 75 (Boulenger) divided.* 



THE COMMON GREEN WHIPSNAKE. 

 Dryophis mycterizans. 



Nearly all the snakes that enjoy an arboreal existence are conspicu- 

 ous for their beauty. Their graceful bearing, shapely proportions, and 

 the richness and combination of the colours that adorn them combine to 

 amply justify their being ranked among the most beautiful of living 

 creatures. 



The common green whipsnake, which may be taken as the type of the 



genus, forms no exception to this rule. In colour and markings it 



very closely resembles the green pit viper, and is on this account shown 



with it in the first plate ; however in most other characteristics the two 



* Stoliczka in J. A. S., Ben. Vol. XXXIX, (3), 1870, p. 217, mentions a specimen with 

 the 5th and Oth entire, and another in eanie paper, p. 221, with 3rd and 7th entire. 



