614 , 



SOME NEW SNAKES FROM THE ORIENTAL REGION. 



By 



F. Wall, C.M.Z.S., I.M.S. 



Oligodon evansi, spec. nov. — In the year 1902 shortly after leaving 

 Burma, Major (now Colonel) G. H. Evans sent me the detailed notes of a 

 snake from Thandoung, Toungoo District (S. Shan States), which he was 

 unable to identify. I wrote to him in reply that it was certainly a species 

 of Oligodon or 8imotes not known to science. When my collections were 

 sent on to me, this specimen was not forthcoming, and Colonel Evans was 

 never able to trace what became of it. I was much interested therefore 

 after the lapse of 11 years to have a snake sent to me by the keeper of the 

 Society's Museum, collected at Taounggyi (S. Shan States) which exactly 

 tallies with Colonel Evans' description which I have kept by me, and have 

 frequently referred to when new species of the genera Oligodon and Simotes 

 have been announced. 



I propose to call the species Oligodon evansi, which may be described 

 thus : — Length — 13| inches, tail If inches. Rostral — Touches 6 shields, 

 the rostro-nasal, and rostro-internasal sutures subequal, greater than 

 rostro-labial. Internasals. — Two, the suture between them f that 

 between the preefrontal fellows, | the internaso-prsefrontal ; Prcefrontals — 

 Two, suture between them § the prsefronto-frontal ; in contact with 

 the internasal, postnasal, loreal, prseocular, and supraocular. Frontal — 

 Touches six shields, the sutures subequal. Supraoculars — Length f 

 frontal, breadth ^ frontal. Nasals — Two, in contact with the Ist 

 and 2nd supralabials. Loreal — One, longer than high, about | the 

 length of the nasals. Prceocular — One. Postoculars — Two. Temporal — One, in 

 contact with the 5th supralabial only. Supralabials — Six, the third and 

 fourth touching the eye, the fifth much the longest. Infralabials — Four, 



Oligodon evansi. ( X 1 j ) 



fourth largest, third and fourth touching the posterior sublinguals. Sub- 

 linguals — Two pairs. Ventrals — 131. Anal — Entire. Subcaudals — 19, divided 

 Costals — Two heads lengths behind the head 16, midbody 16, two 

 heads lengths before the vent 15. 



Colour — Deep olive-green dorsally, with black mottling forming indistinct 

 cross-bars posteriorly. Some variegation formed by short linear gamboge 

 edges to some scales. A broad, black, well defined saggitate mark on 

 the nape. Head almost uniform dark olive, the labial sutures black 

 on both lips. Belly yellow with elongate, transverse, black marks reach- 

 ing to the middle line, often on alternate or on two successive ventrals. 



