MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 1163 



In a previous issue of this Journal (Vol. XIX, pp. 3 and 8) under the 

 name Simotes albocinctus, Variety juglandifer I commented upon a 

 snake which has up to the present time been considered merely a colour 

 variety of the species albocinctus. 



I remarked that this form appears so different in its markings from 

 the typical variety of albocinctus, that to those unacquainted with 

 ophiology the two would certainly be taken to be different species. The 

 fact that after a repeated and critical examination of the two, side by 

 side, I could discover no difference in the lepidosis, compelled me as it had 

 done others before me, to accept the view that juglandifer was merely a 

 colour variety of albocinctus. 



I have now, however, evidence to put forward to claim for the former the 

 rank of a species distinct from albocinctus. I find that in juglandifer there 

 are short edentulous spaces anteriorly and posteriorly in the palatine bone ; 

 the former would accommodate one tooth, and the latter two or three. 

 In albocinctus there is no space anteriorly, and a short space that might 

 accommodate one tooth posteriorly. In both species there is a slight 

 interval in the pterygoid bone anteriorly that might take a single tooth, 

 and in both the maxilla and mandibles are toothed to their extreme 

 anterior limits. As will be seen from the synopsis of dentition from three 

 skulls of each in my collection, there are rather fewer palatine teeth in 

 juglandifer. 



The fact that the lepidosis in the two appears to be identical makes a 

 detailed description of this unnecessary, but in colours and markings the 

 two are very distinct. Albocinctus is usually reddish or dark-brown dorsal- 

 ly with light, black-edged crossbars. Juglandifer is dark-brown dorsally, 

 and has a series of peculiarly shaped marks reminding one of the kernel 

 of a walnut running down the back, just like those seen in L. splendidus 

 and oligodon venustus. These marks are sometimes completely bisected by 

 the masial anterior and posterior indentations. Sometimes too there are 

 broken crossbars in the intervals as shown in figure 1 of our Plate. Both 

 appear to grow to a similar length. 



Both species occur in the Eastern Himalayas and the Assam (Khasi) 

 Hills. I have found albocinctus in the Assam Plains at Dibrugarh. 



