THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 209 



The accompanying map shows the exact localities known to 

 me from which it has been reported within Indian limits. Essentially 

 a resident in the low country, it finds its way occasionally to con- 

 siderable altitude. The Rev. C. Leigh obtained it at Kurseong 

 which is about 5,000 feet, and I had one specimen in Shillong 

 (Khasia Hills) at about 4,800 feet. 



Its numerical strength may be judged from the following figures. 

 In Burma chiefly around Rangoon Evans and I got 11 specimens 

 out of 615 snakes of all kinds. In Upper Assam out of 615 snakes 

 collected 41 were of this species, and in the Eastern Himalayas below 

 Darjeeling (between 1,200 and 5,200 feet) out of 408 specimens 

 there were 6 copper-headed rat-snakes. In Lower Bengal it is un- 

 common, if not actually rare. 



Lepidosis — Rostral. — Touches 6 shields ; the rostro-nasal sutures 

 longest. Internasals. — Two ; the suture between them half to two- 

 thirds that between the prasfrontal fellows, less than the internaso- 

 prsefrontals. Prefrontals.— Two ; the suture between them greater 

 than the prasfronto-frontal ; in contact with internasal, postnasal, 

 loreal, praaocular and supraocular. Frontal. — Touches 6 shields ; the 

 fronto-supraoculars about twice the fronto-parietals. Supraoculars.- - 

 Length subequal to frontal, breadth rather less than frontal along 

 a line connecting the centre of the eyes. Nasals. — Two ; touching 

 1st and 2nd supralabials. Loreal. — One. Prceocnlar. — One. 

 Postocularg. — Two. Temporals. — Two ; the lower in contact with 3 

 supralabials, usually the 6th, 7th and 8th. Supralabials. — 9 usually 

 the 4th, 5th and 6th, or 5th and 6th only touching the eye (some- 

 times 8, with the 3rd, 4th and 5th, or 4th and 5th only touching 

 the eye). Infralahials. — 6 usually (sometimes 7) the 5th and 6th 

 touching the posterior sublinguals; the 6th largest. Sublinguals. — 

 Two pairs : subequal in size. Costals. — Two heads-lengths behind 

 head 19, midbody 19, two heads-lengths before vent 17. The 

 reduction to 17 occurs shortly behind midbody, and is due to the 

 absorption of the 4th or 5th row above the ventrals. The vertebral 

 row is not enlarged. Keels present. Apical facets present in pairs. 

 Ventrals.- — Angulate laterally; 224 to 250. Anal entire. Sub- 

 caudals. — Divided; 83 to 106. 



Anomalies. — I have seen a small cuneate shield occasionally below 

 the prasocular, wedged between the 4th and 5th supralabials. There 

 is a single temporal in rare examples. 



Dentition — Maxilla. — 21 teeth in an uninterrupted series, 

 subequal in length, the last 3 stouter, and more compressed. 

 Palatine — 11 to 12, subequal to maxillary. Pterygoid. — 20 to 21, the 

 anterior subequal to maxillary, reducing in size posteriorly. 

 Mandibular. — 25 to 27 subequal to maxillary, decreasing in size 

 posteriorly. 



Plate. — Our coloured figure leaves nothing to be desired. 



