(Specimens in Guangxi Medical College and Zhejiang Province Museum 

 respectively. "Synopsis of Reptiles of China", p. 51. Geographical 

 locations are after Rand McNally International Atlas, 1979.) 



6) Dinodon rosozonatum is illustrated by a color photograph and described 

 in a short text in "Chinese Poisonous Snakes and Treatment of Their 

 Bites" as a snake which is occasionally misconceived to be poisonous. 

 The first edition of the book was published in 1974, one year before 

 the "original description". Description of this snake (page 108 of 

 the first edition and page 114 of the second edition) is translated 



as follows: 



Fen Lian She Dinodon rosozonatum Hu et Djao (Color plate 26) 

 Local name: Huo Jia She 



Belongs to the same genus and family as Chi Lian She (= Dinodon 

 rosozonatum : Red Chain-snake) and Huang Lian She (=D. septentrional is 

 : Yellow Chain-snake); Genus Dinodon , subfamily ColuErinae and 

 Family Colubridae. Nonpoisonous. Distinguished from the latter 

 two species in having 19-17(15) dorsal scale rows, 221-234 ventrals 

 and relatively fewer number 28-33 and 9-13) of pinkish red cross 

 bands. Found on plains and mountains along streams below 600 meters 

 above sea level. Presently only known from Hainan Island, where 

 people consider the snake to be a close relative of Bungarus fasciatus 

 and poisonous. 



In the second edition of the book this snake is described in Chapter 3 which 

 is written by Hu and Zhao. However, in the first edition, the authors of 

 each chapter are not credited. I wish to thank Showichi Sengoku who drew 

 rr\y attention to this fact. 



7) "Chestnut brown" used in the description of Cuora hainanensis is translated 

 from "zong he se". It is possible that "zong he se" is a little darker 

 than chestnut brown. I could not find any literature in which this color 

 is well explained. 



8) The number of taxa of reptiles known from Hainan Island is here given as 

 108; however, I could count only 104 species and subspecies in the distri- 

 bution table of "Synopsis of Reptiles of China" (p. 77-93). 



I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Showichi Sengoku of Japan 

 Wildlife Research Center for his help and encouragement throughout the preparation 

 of this text. 



References 



1) Herpetological Laboratory, Sichuan Biological Research Institute (ed.). 

 1977. Zhongguo paxingdongwu xitongjiansuo (Synopsis of Reptiles of China). 

 Kasuechuban sha, Beijing (In Chinese). 



2) Pope, C.H. 1935. Reptiles of China, Natural History of Central Asia, 

 vol. 10:1-604. American Museum of Natural History, New York. 



3) Sichuan Biological Research Institute and Natural History Museum of 

 Shanghai (eds.). 1978. Jiangji liangqipaxingdongwu (Economic Herptiles). 

 Shanghai kasuejushue bhuban sha, Shanghai (In Chinese). 



