184 DR. J. ANDERSON ON INDIAN REPTILES. [Feb. 21, 



are males. In the black specimens there is a series of orange zig- 

 zag spots along the angles of the ventrals and first scales on the 

 anterior half of the body, and the basal margins of the second row 

 of scales are pure white, which, however, is only visible when the 

 scales arc drawn apart. The same markings are also seen in the 

 light-coloured specimens when the scales are pulled asunder. Some 

 of the latter specimens are marked by longitudinal lines on the sides, 

 A dusky line finely mottled with white and black runs along the 

 angles of the ventrals, with a narrow pale reddish line above it cor- 

 responding to the position of the zigzag orange spots, with a dusky 

 brown and broader band above it spotted with black and white. 



This species appears to be restricted to the tropical valleys about 

 Darjeeling; for all my specimens are from elevations of from 1/00 

 to 1900 feet. It does not appear to be uncommon. 



Dendrophis picta, Gmel. (Gthr. I. c. p. 297), var. andama- 



NENSIS. 



Scales in fifteen series, smooth, with apical grooves ; vertebral 

 scales much enlarged, hexagonal. Ventrals keeled, 196; subcau- 

 dals 130. Head elongated; snout rounded in front. Kostral 

 broader than high, with a deep impression in front, just reaching to 

 the upper surface of the head. Prefrontals slightly longer than 

 broad, rounded in front, and more than half as large as the post- 

 frontals, which are broader than long and bent down on the sides of 

 the head, forming a broad suture with the loreal. Vertical broad 

 in front, narrow in its posterior half. Superciliaries large and almost 

 as broad as the vertical. Occipitals of moderate size, rounded behind. 

 Nostril large, between two rather prominent nasals, the posterior 

 shield forming a suture with the anterior shield, posterior frontals, 

 loreal, and first and second labials. Loreal narrow and much elon- 

 gated, lying on three upper labials. One large prreocular reaching 

 the upper surface of the head, but not touching the vertical ; two 

 postoculars, the inferior one the smallest. Temporals 2 + 2 + 2. 

 Upper labials nine, the fifth and sixth forming the floor of the orbit. 

 Two pairs of elongated chin shields, the posterior the longest ; the 

 first in contact with five labials. 



Grass-green above, each scale with a broad black margin, and the 

 ventrals with a black margin externally as far as the keel. The 

 black margins of the lateral scales so broad that when the body is 

 at rest they produce the appearance as if a black line ran along the 

 side of the body. A black band the breadth of the loreal, through 

 the eye, over the inferior postorbital and upper margins of the last 

 upper labials, to the side of the neck, where it breaks up at intervals 

 of two rows of scales into round black spots, of which there are five 

 along each side of the neck, behind which they enlarge into oblique 

 black V-shaped markings on the anterior tenth of the body. A 

 faint dark line underneath the keel. Length of body 2' 8" 0"' ; 

 tail 1' 2". 



Andamans. 



