OLIGODOX. 319 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above half as long 

 as its distance from the frontal ; suture between the internasals as 

 long as that between the praefrontals, or a little shorter ; frontal 

 much longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as 

 the parietals ; no loreal, the posterior nasal sometimes forming a 

 suture with the prseocular ; prsoocular single ; two postoculars ; 

 temporals 1+2, or 1 + 1 + 2; upper labials 7, third and fourth 

 entering the eye ; 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin- 

 shields ; posterior chin-shields about two thirds the length of the 

 anterior. Scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 129-142 ; anal divided ; 

 subcaudals 25-36. Brown above, with more or less distinct darker 

 cross-lines ; head with dark symmetrical transverse markings, which 

 are usually connected by a median longitudinal streak. Lower 

 surface white (in spirit) with square black spots, both colours 

 being distributed in nearly equal proportion. 



Total length 13 inches tail 2. 



Hob. Anaimalai Hills. 



389. Oligodon brevicauda. 



Oligodou brevicauda, G'dnth. A. M. N. H. (3) ix, 1862, p. 58 ; id. 

 Kept. B. 1, p. 211, pi. xix, fig. A ; Theob. Cat. p. 148. 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above longer than 

 its distance from the frontal ; no internasals ; frontal longer than 

 its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals ; no 

 loreal, the posterior nasal forming a suture with the prseocular ; 

 prseocular single ; two postoculars ; temporals 1 + 2 ; upper labials 

 7, third and fourth entering the eye ; 4 lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields; posterior chin-shields about two thirds 

 the length of the anterior. Scales in 15 rows. Ventrals 173195; 

 anal divided ; subcaudals 25-29. Brown above, with a light verte- 

 bral baud, most marked posteriorly, bordered on each side by a dark 

 brown or black baud ; a black narrow streak along each side ; a 

 rhomboidal dark spot on the frontal, confluent with a broad crescentic 

 transverse band anteriorly, which passes through the eyes ; a dark 

 band from behind the eye to the angle of the mouth ; a large dark 

 nuchal spot. Lower surface red, with large quadrangular or 

 transverse black spots ; tail without, or with only a few, black 

 spots. 



Total length 18-5 inches ; tail 2. 



Hob. Anaimalai Hills. 



390. Oligodon dorsalis. 



Elaps dorsalis, Oray, III. Ind. Zool. ii, pi. Ixxxv, fig. 1. 

 Oligodon dorsalis, Giinth. Rept. B. I. p. 210; Anders. P. Z. IS. 1871, 

 p. 108 ; Theob. Cat. p. 148. 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above shorter than 

 its distance from the frontal ; suture between the internasals as 



