6 Col. R. H. Beddome on the 



shields (often unequal) between them and the first ventral. 

 Scales round the middle of the body in 17 rows ; ventrals not 

 much larger than the adjoining scales, from 214 in the males 

 to 223 in the females ; subcaudals 7 or 8 in the males, 5 or 6 in 

 the females, generally in pairs, but often some of them single. 

 Adults up to about 15-17 inches in length, with a girth of 

 about H-lf inch. Body and belly nearly uniform brown, 

 each scale with a lighter margin, some yellow markings about 

 the tail. 



Hab. Ceylon, Central Provinces. 



RMnopMs punctatus. 



Mhinophis imnctatus, .T. Miiller, Treviran. Zeitschr. Phys. iv. p. 248; 



Dum, & Bibr. vii. p. 157 ; Peters, Urop. p. 12, tab. 3. 

 rsendoti/phlopi; oxijrhyncJms, Sclil. Abbild. p. 43, t. 12. 



Snout acutely pointed ; rostral about half as long as the 

 head, compressed and furnished with a distinct longitudinal 

 keel above ; caudal shield large, obtusely rounded, extending 

 to the lower surface of the tail, its extent being equal to that 

 of the head ; all the caudal scales quite smooth both on the 

 upper and lower surface of the tail ; the first pair of lower 

 labials do not form a suture behind the median shield, but a 

 pair of chin-shields, often unequal in size, form a suture be- 

 tween the median and the first ventral. Scales round the middle 

 of the body in 17 rows; ventrals not much larger than the 

 adjoining scales, 228 to 246 without reference to sex (a male 

 wath 9 subcaudals having 246, and a female with 6 sub- 

 caudals 240). Subcaudals 8 or 9 in the males, 6 or 7 in the 

 females ; the caudal scales faintly keeled. Length of adults 

 up to 15-18 inches, with a girth of |-1 inch. Yellowish in 

 colour, each scale with a blackish or brown central spot, the 

 scales in the series adjoining the vertebral series without spot. 



Hah. Ceylon, Central Provinces ; in the neighbourhood of 

 Kandy, under stones. 



FJiinopliis planiceps. 



TppMops ])/n'lij)imius, Cuv. Eegne Auim. ii. p. 74. 



lihinophis philippinus, Miill. Trev. Zeitscbr. Pbys. iv. p. 249 ; Dum. «& 

 Bibr. vii. p. 154, t. 59. fig. 1 ; Peters, Uropelt. p.l5; Jan, Icon. Gene- 

 rals des Opbidiens. 



Rhinvphis iilaniceps, Peters, Uropelt. p. 17, fig. 9. 



Snout acutely pointed ; rostral less than half the length of 

 the head, quite flat or scarcely compressed above ; caudal 

 shield large, obtusely rounded, extending to the lower surface 

 of the tail, its extent being about equal to that of the head ; 

 some of the caudal scales, both on the upper and lower surface 



