HTPIESHINA. 377 



of the snout or shorter, as long as the parietals ; loreal as long as 

 dee]) or a little longer ; one prae- and two postoculars ; temporals 

 1 + 2; 8 upper labials, fourth entering the eye ; 4 lower labials in 

 contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are shorter than the 

 posterior. Scales in 21 rows. Ventrals 159-169; anal divided ; 

 subcaudals 60-73. Brownish or olive above, with or without two 

 light longitudinal bauds ; lower parts whitish, with a black line 

 along each side of the ventrals, and usually a median black line or 

 series of black dots. 



Total length 2 feet 2 inches ; tail 5 inches. 



Hob. Bengal, Southern India and Ceylou, Burma, Southern 

 China, Cochin China, Siam, Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. 



According to Cantor, numbers of this species may be seen in 

 rivers as well as in irrigated fields and estuai'ies, preying upon 

 fishes, which, however, they refuse in a state of captivity. They 

 are of timid and peaceful habits. 



468. Hypsirhina blanfordii. 



Hypsirlima maculata (non D. $ B.), Blanf. J. A. & 13. xlviii, 1879, 



p. 130. 

 Hypsirhina inaculosa, Blanf. P. Z. S. 1881, p. 226. 



Head short, with broad, square, truncated snout ; interuasal 

 single, nearly as long as broad ; frontal fully twice as long as 

 broad, a little shorter than the parietals ; oue pne- and two post- 

 oculars ; temporals 1 + 2 ; upper labials 8, fourth entering the eye ; 

 only one pair of large chin-shields, the posterior pair scarcely 

 exceeding the adjoining scales in size. Scales in 25 rows. 

 Ventrals 125 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 45. Colour blackish 

 ashy, with a row of large, irregular-shaped black spots down the 

 back, and another rather less in size, but each spot including 

 several scales, down each side ; a blackish band down the margins 

 of the ventrals, caused by the dark edges of the shields and of the 

 first row of scales on each side. 



Total length 12 inches ; tail T75. 



Hub. Pegu, probably in the neighbourhood of Bassein. A single 

 specimen is known, which I have not been able to examine. 



469. Hypsirhina sieboldii. 



Hoinalopsis sieboldii, Sclileg. Phys. Serp. ii, p. 349, pi. xiii, figs. 4 & 



5 ; Cantor, J. A. S. B. xvi, 1847, p. 945. 

 Ferauia sieboldii, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 67 ; Gilnth. Sept. B. I. p. 284 ; 



Anders. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 180 ; Theob. Cat. p. 184 ; Murray, J. 



Bomb. N. H. Soc. i, 1886, p. 219. 



Trigonurus sieboldii, Dum. $ Bibr. Erp. Gn. vii, p. 960. 

 Hypsirhina sieboldii, Jan, Icon. Ophid. 30, pi. iv, fig. 2. 

 Feranoides jamneetica, CarUeyle, J. A. S. B. xxxviii, 1869, p. 196. 



Eostral nearly as deep as broad ; two internasals ; frontal as 

 long as its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the 



