COLLECTION OF OPHIDIA FROM THE CHIN HILLS. 337 



pairs, whitish beneath. This is an immature specimen of some snake which 

 I placed here as I could not decide what else it might be. It was obtained 

 at Fort White (7.500 ft.) in April 1909 by Mr. Angelo, Superintendent of 

 Post Offices, who kindly brought and presented it to me. The anal shield 

 was incorrectly noted by me, vide note. 



[I examined one of these specimens, viz., the one marked "No. 3 of 1909.''' 

 It is without doubt a Blythia reticulata. The occurrence of this species in 

 the Chin Hills extends its previously known habitat. It has hitherto 

 never been recorded except from the Khasi Hills in Assam. The anal is- 

 reported entire, but I find it divided. — F. W.] 



Ablabes porphyraceus. 

 Seven specimens. 



No. VII. 

 No. VIII. 

 No. IX. 

 No. X. 

 No. XI. 

 No.- XIa, 

 No. 16 of 

 1909. 

 The dorsal scales counted 19 anteriorly and at midbody, and 17 posterior- 

 ly in all the specimens, the reduction being due to the 4th and 5th rows- 

 above the ventrals coalescing. 



In two specimens Nos. IX and XI the frontal touches eight shields being, 

 in contact with the preeocular shields in addition to the normal ones. 



In No. X the 26th, 27th, and 28th subcaudals counting from the vent are 

 single. 



The colour of the small (apparently immature) specimens, Nos. VII, X and 

 1 XIa was a pale dove-colour (a kind of dirty white), while that of the large 

 I ones was a rich red exactly answering to Major Wall's description of " raw 

 beef colour,'' but this colour rapidly disappears in spirit. No. 16 of 1909 was 

 a yellowish colour, possibly an intermediate stage between the other two. 

 The colour within the annulations was the same in all the specimens, i.e., 

 a deep mahogany red. The number of annulations varied little, but the- 

 marks themselves were often very irregiuar and sometimes were broken up 

 into two or three small circles. 



Coluber prasinus. 



One specimen, No. XXXVII. 



The head only was preserved much bleached by strong spirit, the rest of 

 the specimen had to be thrown away. 



Length 42 inches. Dorsal scales 19 anteriorly and at midbody, 15 

 posteriorly. Ventrals 202. Anal entire. Subcaudals 109 pairs. The hori- 



