COLLECTION OF 0PH1DIA FROM THE CHIN HILLS. 341 



two of them turned out to be Pseudoxenodon macrops and have already been 

 referred to. Major Wall's note, which I place here, gives the identity of 

 the others. 



[I have examined the eleven specimens referred to by Mr. Venning and 

 find that his Nos. XVIII, XX, 2 of 1909, and 15 of 1909 are himalayanus, his 

 XIX, XXI, 1, 4, and 8 of 1909 are subminiatus, and his 13 and 14 of 1909 are 

 Pseudoxenodon macrops. The two immature ones referred to marked XLff 

 and XL£, are himalayanus. 



Some of the Tropidonoti are difficult to identify from one another, and 

 this is specially the case when a specimen is abnormal. It frequently 

 happens that the supralabials and the number of the anterior temporal 

 shields are abnormal, and as these shields are of much assistance in dis- 

 tinguishing between some closely allied species the difficulty will be readily 

 appreciated. No. XIX of Mr. Venning's list from the lepidosis might well 

 be stolatus, but the colour negatived the idea. No buff stripes were to be 

 seen, and no black chequering anteriorly, and no supralabials showed black 

 at the sutures. It is in reality subminiatus, abnormal in having but one tem- 

 poral, but the colour of the body did not assist the identification, the usual 

 brilliant vermilion of the neck being totally absent. 



The single broad subocular black blotch gave me the clue to its identity, 

 and in comparing it carefully with other subminiatus specimens I was able 

 to satisfy myself that it was one of this species. — F. W.] 



The following table is reconstructed on the above notes : — 



Tropidonotus himalayanus. 



No. XVII, which I think must have been a subminiatus, had to be thrown 

 away. It was taken on 11th June 1908 and contained about 9 eggs, and it 

 had swallowed a frog. Its length was 29f inches of which the imperfect 

 tail accounted for 5 inches. It had 8 supralabials with 4th and 5th entering 

 the eye. It had the vermilion tinge on its neck and the single black 



