ON THE COMMON INDIAN SNA KES. 71 5 



Magnhnaculatus (Wall and Evans)*.— This form was first specially 

 remarked upon by Evans and me who proposed the above name for 

 it as a variety of ccerulens. Sclater had in 1891 made allusion 

 to two specimens in the Indian Museum which I have now examined. 



I saw no specimen in the British Museum when I examined the 

 kraits there some five years ago, There are 11 to 14 broad streaked 

 bands on the body and 2 to 3 on the tail. These are white with 

 black streaks in the length of the snake. The black intervals are 

 rounded off near the ventrals, so do not embrace the belly. I have 

 seen 5 specimens. 



It is only known from a limited area in the Irrawaddy Basin, 

 Meiktila and Monywa (Wall and Evans), Meiktila (Sclater), and 

 Colonel G. H. Evans has written to me that he has met with it m 

 Hmawbi, Myingyan, and the Shwebo District. 



Multkinctus (Blyth). — This considered by Boulenger but a variety 

 of candidus differs by its very distinct colouration, and its habitat. It 

 has from 31 to 45 pure white bands over the back on the body, and 



II to 13 on the tail. The black intervals do not surround the belly. 

 It appears to be uncommon in the whole of the area it inhabits which 

 ranges from Southern China to the Irrawaddy-Salween Basinsf. 

 Within our limits it is known from Insein and Eangoon (Wall 

 and Evans), Toungoo (Boulenger), and an example in the Indian 

 Museum is from the Andamans. Fig. 4 of our Plate is from an excel- 

 lent example. I have examined 10 specimens. 



Candidus (Linne). — This is the form originally described by Linne 

 from Java. It is black with from 20 to 25 broad light bands on the 

 body, and 7 to 9 on the tail. These bands may be pure white as 

 shown in figure 7 of our Plate, or may be more or less subdivided 

 by a mottling of black. It is only known from the Malay Penin- 

 sula and Archipelago. 



Niger (Wall). — This has been confused until now with lividus, 

 from which it differs in having the vertebral row of scales broad 

 (broader than long in midbody) and a greater number of ventrals 

 and subcaudals. It appears also to grow to a larger size, my largest 

 specimen being 4 feet and half an inch, whereas I do not know of 



* Bombay Natural History Journal, Vol. XIII., p. 611. 



t I think the locality of one given as Purneah in the Indian Museum, viz., No. 13738 (or 

 9 ?), calls for confirmation. 



