SILTBUKA. 263 



than its distance from the frontal ; nasals forming a suture behind 

 the rostral ; frontal usually longer than broad. Eye very small, 

 hardly one third the length of the ocular. Diameter of body 30 to 

 46 times in the total length. 17 scales round the middle of the 

 body, 19 behind the head. Ventrals about twice as large as the 

 contiguous scales, 193-234; subcaudals 6-11. Tail round or 

 slightly flattened, the terminal scute with two small points ; scales 

 on the upper surface of the tail strongly pluricarinate. Yellowish 

 or brown above, usually with transverse series of small yellow 

 black-edged ocelli ; belly brown, with large yellow spots or cross 

 bands, or yellow, mottled or blotched with brown. 



Total length 20 inches. 



Hal. Nilgiri, Anairaalai, and Tinnevelly Hills, 2000-4500 feet. 



305. Silybura nigra. 



Silybura melauogaster, G until. P. Z. S. 1875, p. 227, pi. xxxi,ng. A. 

 Silybura nigra, Beddome, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 154 ; id. A. M. N. If. (5) 

 xvii, 1886, p. 12. 



Snout pointed ; rostral one third to two fifths the length of the 

 shielded part of the head, the portion visible from above longer 

 than its distance from the frontal, sometimes separating the nasals ; 

 frontal a little longer than broad. Eye small, not half the length 

 of the ocular. Diameter of body 23 to 30 times in the total length. 

 Scales in 19 rows round the middle of the body, as well as behind 

 the head. Ventrals about twice as large as the contiguous scales, 

 163-178 ; subcaudals 6-11. Tail rounded, the terminal scute 

 with two small points ; upper caudal scales more or less strongly 

 pluricarinate. Blackish or dark violet, above with transverse series 

 of small round yellow spots or ocelli ; a lateral series of large yellow 

 spots, which may be confluent into a band. 



Total length 11 inches. 



Hab. Palni, Anaimalai, Madura and Tinnevelly Hills, 4000-5000 

 feet. 



306. Silybura nitida. 



Silybura nitida, Beddome, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 154 ; id. A. M. N. H. (5) 

 xvii, 1886, p. 19. 



Snout obtusely pointed ; rostral about one third the length of 

 the shielded part of the head, the portion visible from above longer 

 than its distance from the frontal ; nasals in contact ; frontal 

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

 Diameter of body 30 to 35 times in the total length. 17 scales 

 round the middle of the body, 19 behind the head. Ventrals twice 

 as broad as the contiguous scales, 184-195; subcaudals 5-11. 

 Tail round or slightly flattened above, the terminal scales strongly 

 pluricarinate ; the terminal scute with a transverse ridge and two 

 more or less distinct points. Black, beneath with distant large 

 yellow spots, which usually alternate but sometimes meet to form 

 cross bands. 



Total length 14 inches. 



Hab, Anaimalai Hills, 4000-5000 feet. 



