92. SIIIOTES. 221 



Simotes nlbocinctus, part., (ninth. I.e. p. 218. 

 amabilis, Gunth. Ann. $ May. N. U. (4) i. 1868, p. 416, 

 pi. xvii. fig. A. 

 albocinctus, Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Kept. p. 312 (1890). 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above shorter than its 

 distance from the frontal; suture between the internasals shorter 

 than that between the praefrontals ; frontal longer than its distance 

 from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals ; loreal as long as 

 deep or a little longer, seldom united with the pnefrontal ; praeocular 

 single or (rarely) divided into two; two postoculars ; temporals 

 1 + '2 ; normally seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the 

 eye ; four (rarely five) lower labials in contact with the anterior 

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

 the anterior. Scales in 19 rows. Ventrals 177-205 ; anal undivided ; 

 subcaudals 51-69. Brown or brick-red above ; head yellowish, with 

 a dark brown or black-edged red crescentic band across the forehead 

 to below each eye, sometimes interrupted in the middle, an oblique 

 one on each side from the parietal to behind the angle of the mouth, 

 and a chevron-shaped one from the frontal to the nape, sometimes 

 with a detached round spot in front ; lower surfaces yellowish or 

 coralline-red, more or less spotted or marbled with black ; the black 

 spots may be small, squarish, far apart, and confined to the sides, 

 or the black may predominate on the belly ; or the ventrals may be 

 alternately black and yellow. 



Total length 800 millim. ; tail 130. 



Eastern and Central Himalayas (to 4000 feet), Khasi and Arakan 

 Hills. 



A. Upper parts unspotted, with 27 to 34 light, black-edged cross 



bands two scales wide, separated by 5 to 8 series of scales. 

 (S. albocinctus, Cant.) 



a. $ (V. 203 ; C. 53). Khasi Hills. Sir J. Hooker [P.]. (Type 



of C. punctulatus.) 



b-e. rf (V. 183 ; C. 64), Himalayas. T. C. Jerdon, Esq. [P.l. 



hgr. (V. 184, 194; C. 59, 



54),&yg.(V.19o:C.54). 



/. rf (V. 195; 0. 60). Himalayas. Col. Eeddome [CJ. 



g-h. $ (V. 203; C. 51) Darjeeling. W. T. Blanford, Esq. [P.]. 



&yg.(V.188; C. 66). 



i. Skull. Darjeeling. W. T. Blanford, Esq. [P.]. 



B. Upper parts unspotted, with 55 light, black-edged cross bars, 



separated by 3 or 4 series of scales. (S. amabilis, Gthr.) 



a. Yg. (V. 178; C. 04). Arakan Hills. W. Theobald, Eaq. [C.]. 



(Type of S. amabilit.) 



C. Upper parts with dark spots, without cross bands. 



a-b. $ (V. 202; C. 55) Khasi Hills. Sir J. Hooker [P.]. 

 &yg. (V. 193; C. 62). 



c. c? (V. 103; C. 65). Sikkim. Messrs. v.SchlagintweitTC.]. 



d. 9 (V. 205 ; C. F). I trjwling. T. C. Jerdon, Esq. [P.]. 



