BIHANG TILL K. SV. VET.-AKAD. HANDL. BAND 27. APD. IV. N:0 5. 25- 



employed, when separating the species from each other. Re- 

 garding the nnmber of snbcandals, M. notdtus should have 

 no more than 18. There are two specimens with 18 or less 

 subcaudals (15, 18) but both these have more than 200 ven- 

 trals (20(>, 211), wherefore they ought not to be M. notatus; 

 besides, all the eight specimens with less than 200 ventrala 

 have more than 18 subcaudals. 



Other specific characters, mentioned, in the table, are so 

 very unimportant or so individually varying that they cannot 

 be of any value. In all the specimens there are four lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chinshields; the nasal is 

 entire or divided without any order and the frontal varies 

 in length also without any constant rule. 



In colour eleven of the specimens correspond so well that 

 any trace of specific difference in this respect is not to be found. 

 They are all »black above and on the sides down to the outer 

 end of the ventrals and subcaudals» with the dark colour 

 sharply distinct from the yellowish-white belly. In two of them 

 (two small ones) the occipital part of the neck and the head 

 above are light brown, except the prsefrontals, the frontal, 

 the anterior part of the parietals and a spöt below the eye, 

 which are black. In the other specimens the head is black- 

 brown with the above mentioned parts darker. Probably the 

 light head is a juvenile character. A single specimen differs 

 in colour by having the upper parts greybrown instead of 

 black, and this colour confluents without distinct limits witli 

 that of the belly. To judge from the diagnoses in Cat. of 

 Snakes, however, it is not rare that the specimens vary in 

 colour. 



Following table shows the variation of the presumed 

 .specific-characters;> in the specimens examined. 



