22'2 MR. W. T. BLANFORD ON REPTILES [Feb. 1, 



Amphiesma rhodomelas, Dumeril & Bibron, Erp. Gen. vii. 

 p. 737. 



Xenodon rhodomelas, Giintherj Cat. Snakes B. M. 1858, p. 58. 



Three specimens from Macassar, one quite small, only 8 inches long, 

 the other two 22 and 23^ inches in length. In all there are two 

 praeoculars, the lower being very small ; one (the young) specimen 

 has three, the other two have each four postoculars\ In one example 

 there are eight supralabials on one side, the second being divided. 

 The loreal is about as high as broad, but only the hinder part of the 

 upper margin slopes downwards, and the form of the shield appears 

 rather variable. 



Ventrals 131, 133, and 134 ; anal divided; subcaudals 52 pairs 

 in two specimens, 55 in the third. These numbers are a little 

 higher than those given by Dumeril and Bibron. 



Ophites subcinctus, var. (Plate XXI. fig. 2.) 



Besides two normal specimens of this species, there is in the col- 

 lection a young snake, lUf inches long (of which the tail measures 

 2), with smooth scales, and an undivided anal, but otherwise agi"eeing 

 with 0. subcinctus, and having the same peculiar arrangement of 

 shields in the loreal region. In consequence of the scales being 

 smooth, I at first took this for an undescribed species of the genus 

 Lycodon, and had the accompanying figures of the head prepared, 

 but subsequently amongst some snakes from province Wellesley in 

 Malacca, collected by Mr. W. L. Distant, I found a much larger 

 specimen of Ophites subcinctus, iu which the keels of the dorsal 

 scales were very faint in the hinder part of the body, and quite ab- 

 sent in the anterior portion. I therefore now consider the young 

 Singapore snake an abnormal specimen of the same species. 



Python curtus. 



Python curtus, Schlegel, apud Hubrecht, Notes from the Museum 

 at Leyden, vol. i. p. 244 ". 



This is a very remarkable species of Python ; and it is curious that 

 it should so long have escaped notice, Hubrecht's description having 

 only been published last year. The specimen in the Leyden Museum 

 was from Sumatra. 



P. curtus is remarkably stout for its length, its girth being pro- 

 portionally much greater than that of P. reticidatus and P. inolurus. 

 The number of scales round the body is less, the ventrals and sub- 



' Dumeril and Bibron say one pra- and two postoculars. Schlegel repre- 

 sents one proB- and four postoculars ; but the figure does not look very exact in 

 this respect. 



2 In tlie ' Zoological Record ' for 1877 there is the following notice : — 

 "Python curtus, Sehleg. Description and figure; A. Hubrecht, Ann. Mus. 

 Leyd. No. 1." I learn that the work quoted has not been published ; but a 

 titlepage and, I believe, the figure and description of the present species were 

 printed and a copy sent to the Recorder. In the ' Notes from the Museum at 

 Leyden,' published in 1879, it is stated that the 'Annals,' which will contain a 

 full description and figure of this species, will be published shortly. 



