THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 63] 



Distribution. — From the Western Himalayas through other 

 mountain ranges to Southern China, and Formosa. 



Variety nigriventer (Wall). — From the Western Himalayas as 

 far West as Kasauli. Very rare. Only one specimen is known 

 which is in our Society's collection. 



Variety univirgatus (Gunther). — From Nepal, through the 

 Eastern Himalayas as far East as Sikkim. Fairly abundant in 

 Sikkim. 



Variety typica (Bernhardt). — Hills of Assam and Burma to 

 South China and Formosa. Annandale has recorded it from the 

 Abor country, Assam, North of the Brahmaputra at about 1,000 feet 

 elevation. It is quite common in the Khasi Hills. Venning found 

 it fairly common in the Chin Hills. There is a specimen in the 

 British Museum from Pegu (presumably Hills), and Evans and I 

 got a specimen from the Pegu Yomas. 



I have had it from the Hills in the Southern Shan States 

 (Mogok), and there are specimens in the British Museum from 

 Hills in South China, and Formosa. 



Variety <jori (Wall). — Naga Hills in Assam, and Manipur. 

 Apparently uncommon. Only four specimens are known, three 

 were sent me from Jaipur near the Naga Hills, and one from 

 Manipur. 



Lepidosis, Rostral. — Touches G shields, the rostro-nasal sutures 

 are about four-thirds the rostro-internasals, and twice or three times 

 the rostro-labials. Internasals. — Two, the suture between the fellows 

 about two-thirds that between the prefrontal fellows, and about 

 two-thirds the internaso-prasfrontal sutures. Prcefrontals . — Two, 

 the suture between them equal to, or rather greater than, the 

 prsefronto-frontal. Frontal. — Touches 6 shields, the fronto-supra- 

 ocular sutures equal to, or rather less than the fronto-parietals. 

 Supraoculars. — About two-thirds the length and breadth of the 

 frontal. Nasals. — Two, in contact with the first three labials (rarely 

 first two only). Loreal. — Absent. Prceocular. — One. Postoculars. — 

 Two. Temporal. — One anterior, touching the 5th and 6th labials 

 only. Suyralabials. — Seven, the 3rd and 4th touching the eye. 

 Lifralahials. — Four, the 4th largest, about as long, and twice as broad 

 as the posterior sublinguals : touching two scales only behind. 

 Sublinguals. — Two subequal pairs, the posterior touching the 4th, 

 or 3rd and 4th infralabials. Gostals. — In 13 rows in the whole 

 body length; smooth; vertebrals not enlarged. Ventrals. — 182 to 

 240, more numerous in the 5 . Anal. — Divided. Subcaudals. — 

 20 to 36 pairs. 



Anomalies. — It is not unusual to find a few of the earlier subcau- 

 dals entire. I have seen the last ventral divided in one specimen. 

 The 2nd infralabial rarely fails to touch the anterior sublinguals. 

 I have also seen a confluence of the temporal and 6th labial more 



