276 XENOPELTID^E. 



Genus XENOPELTIS, 



Reinwardt, in Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 564. 



Teeth small, equal, closely set, and very numerous (4 on each 

 side of the praem axillary, 33-38 in each maxillary, 35 or 36 in 

 each ramus of the mandible). Dentary bone attached loosely 

 to the apex of the articular and movable on it. Head not 



Fig. 85. Head of Xeiwydtls 



distinct from neck ; eye small, with vertically elliptic pupil. 

 Nostril between two small nasals ; frontal in contact with a 

 large azygous occipital shield, which is in the middle between four 

 parietals. A mental groove. Body cylindrical ; scales smooth, in 

 15 rows : ventrals large ; tail short, subcaudals in two rows. 

 A single species. 



331. Xenopeltis unicolor. 



Xenopeltis unicolor, Reinw. in Bole, Isis, 1827, p. 564; Cantor, 

 J. A. S. B. xvi, 1847, p. 901 ; Dum. $ Bibr. Erp. Gen. vii, p. 28 ; 

 Gilnth. Kept. B. I. p. 180 ; Jan, Icon. OpMd. 9, pi. v ; Theob. Cat. 

 p. 140. 



Head much depressed, snout rounded ; frontal as long as its 

 distance from the rostral ; supraocular small, smaller than the 

 upper postocular ; a single large prseocular or loreal shield ; 2 post- 

 oculars, upper largest ; 8 upper labials, first in contact with the 

 internasal, fourth and fifth entering the eye : a pair of very small 

 chin-shields, in contact with the 3 anterior lower labials. Scales 

 in 15 rows. Ventrals 166-193 ; anal divided; subcaudals 26-31. 

 Black or brown above, highly iridescent, scales with lighter edges, 

 Avhite beneath ; head whitish in the young. 



Total length 3 feet 4 inches ; tail 4 inches. 



Sab. Burma, Indo-China, Malay Peninsula and Archipelago; 

 also Trichinopoly, S. India. 



A snake of fierce habits, feeding on small mammals. 



