THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA 



309 



JUT- 



Colour — Head and neck black. Body yellowish-brown above with 

 a series of small black dots on each side of the spine. Two black bands 

 on the tail — one basal, the other subterminal. Belly coral pink. Tail 

 dappled black, and grey beneath. 



Hemibungarus nigrescens — The Common Indian Coral Snake. 



Identification. — Like the last this differs frc.m other; of this group in 

 that the anal shield is divided, and the temporal touches the 5th 6th 

 and 7th supralabials. Its habitat will distinguish it. 



Supplement ar y 

 characters. — Prce 

 frantals touch the 

 internasal, post- 

 erior nasal, pree- 

 ocular. supraocular, 

 and frontal. Sup- 

 ralabials 7. An- 

 terior .sublinguals 

 touch 4 infrala- 

 bials. Posterior 

 sublinguals touch 

 the 4th infralabial. 

 Tnfralabials. — The 

 4th is the largest 

 of the series, and 

 touches 2 scales 

 behind. Scabs in 

 13 rows in whole 

 of body. Sub- 

 cantfaL divided 

 throughout. 



Distribution. — It 

 is a hill species 

 confined to the 

 Western Ghats of 

 India incl udin g 

 the Nilgiris and 

 Anamullays. 



Fio. 23.— Hemibungarus nigrescens (x3). 



