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A NEW KRAIT FROM SIND (BUNGARUS SINDANUS), 



By G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S. 



(With a Plate.) 



(Read before the Bombay Natural History Society on 18th March t 1897.) 



A short time after -the publication of the Reptiles of the " Fauna of 

 India," Mr. Blanford brought me a " krait " from Umarkot, Sind, 

 received from Mr. H. E. Watson, which differed from Bungarus 

 ■cceruleus in the number of scale-rows (17) and of ventral shields (237). 

 Although both Mr. Blanford and I suspected at the time that the 

 specimen might prove the type of a new species, we agreed that, 

 considering its close affinity to B. cceruleus, it would be prudent 

 to wait for further specimens which we were in hopes Mr. Watson 

 would be able to procure. Owing to the death of this gentle- 

 man, no more was heard of the snake, the unique specimen of which 

 was provisionally referred to B. cceruleus .- I have now received 

 from the Bombay Natural History Society two more specimens, 

 obtained by Mr. L. J. Mountford at Sukkur, Sind, which 

 remove my hesitation, and I proposed to designate the new " krait " as 



Bungarus sind anus, sp. n. 



Eye somewhat larger than in B. cceruleus^ with vertically oval 

 pupil. Rostral broader than deep, the portion visible from above 

 measuring one-third to two-fifths its distance from the frontal ; inter- 

 nasals about half as long as the prefrontals ; frontal one and a half to 

 one and two-thirds as long as broad, as long as or slightly shorter 

 than its distance from the end of the snout, much shorter than the 

 paristal ; one prse- and two postoculars ; temporals 1+2 ; seven upper 

 labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; three or four lower labials 

 in contact with the anterior chin shields, which are as long as the 

 posterior. Scales in 17 or 19 rows, vertibrals strongly enlarged, but 

 none broader than long. Ventrals 220 — 237 ; anal entire ; subeaudals 

 49 — 52, single or a few of the hindermost in pairs. Black above, 

 white below ; transverse series of white spots on the body forming 

 interrupted cross-bands same as often present in B. cozruleus ; 

 rostral, upper labials, anterior nasal and prseocular, white. 



Total length 1,300 ; tail 150 millimetres. 



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