1033 



REMARKS ON THE SNAKE COLLECTION IN THE 

 QUETTA MUSEUM. 



BY 



Major F. Wall, i.m.s., c.m.z.s. 



At the request of Sir Henry McMahon the collection of snakes 

 in the Quetta Museum has been recently submitted to me for 

 identification. 



120 specimens were forwarded which include 23 species. One 

 species, I think there can be no doubt, is new to science. This 

 belongs to the genus Contia, and I propose to call it mcmahom 

 after the President of the Quetta Natural History Society. In 

 a few other instances the previously known habitat appears to 

 have been extended, viz., Eryx johni, Zamenis ravergieri, Oontia 

 ■walteri, Bungarus coeruleus, and Bungarus sindanus. 



All the snakes have been collected in Baluchistan. 



Family. — GLAUCONILD^. 



Glauconia blanfordi (Boulenger). 

 A single typical specimen of this little snake is from Sibi. 



Family.— BOID^E. 



Eryx johni (Russell). 

 Three specimens, all about two-thirds grown, are from Duki, and Hanna. 

 I can find no previous records of this snake from Baluchistan. The Hanna 

 specimen is the darkest I ever saw. It is brown dorsally, and there are 

 very distinct black bars on the body and tail. The belly is heavily mottled 

 with black. The two Duki specimens are similar, but the black bars are 

 not so distinct. The details of scales and shields are as follows : — 



