THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 433 



Poison. — Nothing is known of the toxicity of this venom. No 

 casualties in the human subject have been reported, and the 

 poison has not been experimented with in the laboratory. 



Distribution. — From the Persian Gulf to the Malayan Archipelago. 



lipidosis. — Rostral — Broader than high. Nasals. — In contact 

 behind the rostral ; the suture from the nostril, when present 

 passes to the 2nd labial. Prcefrontals. — With rare exceptions 

 touch the 2nd labial. Proeocular. — One. Postoculars. — One (rarely 

 two). Temporals. — One large anterior, succeeded by a posterior 

 of equal size ; the anterior frequently descending to the margin 

 of the lip. Rarely there are two superposed anterior temporals, 

 and the posterior shield is not infrequently replaced by small 

 scales. Supralabials. — 6 to 8 : the anterior 4, 5 or usually 

 large and undivided, the rest divided. The 3rd and 4th usually 

 (rarely the 5th also) touch the eye. Infralabials. — 4 ; the last in 

 contact with 3 or 4 scales behind. Marginals. — Usually one 

 ■wedged between the 3rd and 4th infralabials (rarely two after the 

 3rd). Sublinguals. — Two well developed pairs, Ihe fellows of 

 each in contact (or the posterior separated.) Costals. — Two 

 headslengths behind the head, usually 25 to 29 (rarely 23 to 31); 

 in midbody usually 31 to 35 (rarely 29 to 30) ; two headslengths 

 before the anus 28 to 30 : more or less imbricate, smooth or 

 nearly smooth in the young, feebly or strongly tuberculate in 

 adults. Ventrals. — 282 to 373. Entire throughout except for a 

 few posteriorly ; less than twice or hardly twice the breadth oi 

 the last costal row. 



Dentition. — I have examined the maxillary teeth of well over a 

 dozen examples, and find there are usually 7 (rarely 0) behind 

 the paired fangs. Palatine. — 7. Pterygoid. — 12 to 13. Mandibular — 

 13 to 15. 



Plate. — Our figures are excellent, and show the commonest form, 

 (Variety brugmansi) to be met with around our coasts. The 

 ventrals are shown too broad relatively. 



HYDL'OPinS CYAmCINCTUS* (Daudin). 

 The Chittul. 

 History. — The type of this species I take to be the specimen in 

 the British Museum from the Sunderbunds, which was one of the 



* I have no hesitation in declaring the tuberculata and crassicollis of Anderson, 

 the dayanus oi Stoliczka, and the trncJiyceps of Theobalds (all of which are 

 known from single specimens in the Indian Museum which I have examined) 

 identical with cijanccinctus. Further I think the sublcevis and lajiemidoides of 

 Gray, all of which I have examined in the British Museum, will prove to belong to 

 this species. It is more than likely too that the melanocephalus of Gray, and the 

 melanosoma of Gunther may have to be referred to this species. I have seen the 

 types of each in the British Museum. The bituherculata of Peters I have not 

 examined, but I see no reason from the description and figure given to dissociate 

 it from cyanocinctus. 



