624 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



Eastern Himalayas below Darjeeling (1,500 to 7,000 feet) only one 

 stolatus came to bag, this being found below 2,800 feet. The 

 difference in the altitude to which it wanders in this, compared 

 with the Western part of the same mountain range, is certainly 

 noteworthy. 



In the Plains of Assam out of 615 snakes collected 1 in every 

 4 was a stolatus, and in the Khasi Hills at Shillong (4,900 feet), 

 it was nearly as common, for among 264 snakes collected 1 in 

 every 7 was this species. 



In Lower Burma out of 615 snakes mostly collected about 

 Rangoon 1 in every 15 was a stolatus. I have had a specimen 

 from Haka in the Ohin Hills (6,500 feet). 



Geographical distribution. — The whole of Southern Continental 

 Asia from Sind in the West to China in the East. It also occurs 

 in the Island of Ceylon, probably the Andamans, though I can 

 find no record from this group, the Nicobars, Hainan, Hongkong, 

 Formosa, and the Philippines. 



Lepidosis. — Rostral. — Touches 6 shields, the rostronasal sutures 

 being about twice as long as the rest. Internasals — Two, the 

 suture between them being nearly as long as that between the 

 prge frontal fellows, and subequal to the internaso-prsefrontal 

 sutures. Prcefrontals — Two, the suture between them subequal 

 or rather greater than the prasfronto-frontal sutures ; in contact 

 with the internasal, postnasal, loreal, prseocular, supraocular 

 and frontal. Frontal — Touches 6 shields, the fronto-supraocular 

 sutures being twice or more than twice the fronto-parietals. 

 Supraoculars — About as long, but not so broad as the frontal along 

 a line connecting the centres, of the eyes. Nasals — Divided ; in 

 contact with the 1st only of the supralabial series. Loreal — One, 

 about as deep as long. Prceocula,r — One. Postoculars — Three 

 usually, not infrequently four. Temporals — One, touching the 

 6th and 7th supralabials. Supralabials — 7 with the 3rd and 4th 

 touching the eye, or 8 with the 5th also touching the eye. 

 Infralabials — 7, the 7th usually touching 3 scales behind ; 5th, 6th 

 and 7th usually touching the posterior sublinguals. Sublinguals — 

 Two pairs, the posterior rather longer, and separated by 1 + 2, or 

 1 + 1 + 2 small scales succeeded by the 1st narrow ventral. 



