260 UKOPELTIDJi. 



298. Silybura melanogaster. 



Mytilia (Civalia) uielanogaster, Gray, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 264, tig. 5. 

 Plectrurus ceylonicus, Peters, MB. Ak. Bcrl. 1859, p. 388. 

 Rhiuophis melanogaster, Peters, Uropelt. p. 18, pi. ii, tig. 4 ; Jan, 



Icon. Ophid. p. 47, 1. 9, pi. ii, tig. 4. 

 Rhiuophis blythii, part., Gi'mth. Kept. B. I. p. 186; Theob. Cat. 



p. 130. 

 Silybura melanogaster, Beddome, A. M. N. H. (5) xvii, 1886, p. 20. 



Snout pointed ; rostral about one third tbe length of the shielded 

 part of the head, the portion visible from above longer than its 

 distance from the frontal, entirely separating the nasals ; frontal 

 longer than broad. Eye small, not half the length of the ocular 

 shield. Diameter of body 22 to 31 times in the total length. 

 Scales in 17 rows round the middle of the body, 19 behind the 

 head. Ventrals but little larger than the contiguous scales, 141- 

 166; subcaudals 6-10. Tail round or slightly compressed, the 

 terminal scute with two small spines ; caudal scales with very faint 

 keels. Dark brown, with yellow spots more or less confluent into 

 a lateral band ; some young specimens yellow, each scale of the 

 upper surface, chin, and tail with a dark brown spot. 



Total length 10-5 inches. 



Hab. Ceylon (Central Provinces). 



299. Silybura pulneyensis. 



Plectrurus pulneyensis, Beddome, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 228, pi. xxv, 



fig. 2. 

 Rhinophis pulneyensis, Giinth. llept. B. I, p. 187, pi. xvii, fig. C ; 



Theob. Cat. p. 131. 



Silybura wood-masoni, Theob. op. cit. p. 135. 

 Silybura guentheri, Beddome, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 801 ; id. A. M. N. H. 



(5) xvii, 1886, p. 23. 

 Silybura pulneyensis, Beddome, t. c. p. 23. 



Snout obtusely pointed ; rostral about one fourth the length of 

 the shielded part of the head, longer than its distance from the 

 frontal, entirely separating the nasals ; frontal longer than broad. 

 Eye half the length of the ocular. Diameter of body 30 to 38 

 . times in the total length. 17 scales round the middle of the body, 

 19 behind the head. Ventrals about twice as large as the contigu- 

 ous scales, 170-180 ; subcaudals 6-13. Tail somewhat compressed, 

 the terminal scute with two small points ; usually some of the 

 terminal scales with faint keels. Brown, with a few minute 

 yellow specks on the back ; a yellow lateral band anteriorly ; belly 

 with large yellow, usually alternating, spots or cross bands, rarely 

 uniform yellow, 



Total length 15 inches. 



Hab. Palni and Cumbum Hills, Madura district, 5000-7000 

 feet. 



