THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 751 



always distinctly narrower than the intervals left between them. 

 Their number seems to varj^ with the locality. In the United 

 Provinces, Punjab, N. W. Frontier and the Western Himalayas 

 my examples have shown from 41 to 54 on the bod}'', and 9 to 12 

 on the tail. From Orissa I have had one with 37 bars on the body, 

 and only 6 on the tail. Russell's Arni specimen had only 22 on 

 the whole length and Gtinther mentions one from Ceylon with onl}^ 

 17 on the body. I have seen as many as 62 bars in a specimen from 

 Behar. In the vast majority of specimens these bars are of even 

 width in mid-dorsum and taper costally, but I have seen a specimen 

 in Fyzabad, and another from Bannu in which they were indented 

 in the median line anteriorly and posteriorly and converted into 

 twin beads, or figures of eight. This form of mark is common in 

 many of the species of Si-motes and Olicjodon. In the intervals be- 

 tween the bars the flanks are variegated with short streaks. The belly 

 is usually of a uniform pearly white, but is often black spotted, or 

 Mr. Boulenger says the ventrals may be bordered at their free edges 

 with brown. The spotted specimens are, I find, not peculiar to any 

 locality, for I have seen a specimen in Almora in which most 

 ventrals had a spot at one or other side, and Mr. Boulenger records 

 such from Nepal, and S. India, where the majority of specimens are 

 unspotted. The head is adorned with three conspicuous black 

 marks which are often, if not usualty, bordered narrowly with white 

 or pale yellow. The anterior mark is crescentic, and passes across 

 in front of the ej^es to re-appear below them. The median and 

 posterior are sagittate, the apex of the former reaching to the frontal 

 and the arms to behind the gape, whilst the apex of the latter passes 

 to the parietals, and the arms to the sides of the neck. The posterior 

 sagitta is much the broader one. These three marks are nearly' 

 always discrete, unlike the same marks in some other species which 

 are connected by a median shaft. In very old specimens these head 

 marks tend to disintegrate, and become obscured. There are usually 

 some dark streaks to be seen in some of the supralabial sutures. 



Dimensions. — Adults usually range between 18 and 21 inches, 

 but I have had at least eight specimens exceeding these measure- 

 ments, the two largest, both females, being exactly two feet long. 

 Gtinther mentions one 25 inches long. 



Haunts. — Nearly all the specimens I have had came from within 

 Cantonment limits. I have come across many alive on the roads, or 

 the wayside, and have even met with it on the open parade ground 

 more than once. More usually it does not stray from within easy 

 touch of efficient cover. It appears to make its home for the most 

 part in masonry, frequently domiciling itself in bungalows and out- 

 houses. I have received many with the report that they were found 

 in the house. Mr. Reid tells me that in Behar, where it is common, 

 it frequents buildings and old walls. I once had one sent to me 



