1899.] REPTILES or THE MALAY PENINSULA AND SIAM. 657 



100. Cylindeophts linbatus Blanf. 



Gylindrophis lineatus, Blgr. Cat. Snakes, i. p. 137. 



This snake is only known from the type specimen in the Raffles 

 Museum, Singapore, described by Mr. Blanford (P. Z. S. 1881, 

 p. 217, pi. XX.). 



Hab. Malay Peninsula. 



Family Xenopeltid^e. 



101. Xenopeltis unicolor Reinw. 



Xenopeltis unicolor, Blgr. Cat. Snakes, i. p, 168 (skull figured); 

 S. Flower, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 878. 



" Ngu saam-paa-teek " of the Siamese. 



Localities. This remarkable snake is known from Penang Hill 

 (Cantor, p. 54) ; Province Wellesley (Cantor, p. 54, and Mr. van 

 Sommeren's collection) ; Kuala Selangor (Mr. A. L. Butler's 

 collection) ; Pahang (Dr. Hanitsch, Eep. Raffles Libr. & 

 Museum, 1897, p. 9); Singapore (Brit. Mus. Cat.; Peters, 

 Monatsb. Ak. der Wiss. zu Berlin, 1859, p. 269 ; Rep. Raffles 

 Libr. & Museum 1807; and my own collection). 



The British Museum Catalogue mentions two specimens from 

 Siam ; and I have observed ten Bangkok individuals and one from 

 Chantaboon. 



Habits. A young snake of this species that I kept alive was 

 fairly quiet from the first, and after one day's captivity never 

 attempted to bite when handled. An adult specimen when excited 

 would twist itself into an irregular pile of tight coils, except the 

 tail, which was held on one side, raised from the ground, and the 

 tip kept vibrating at a great speed. 



Descrij)tion. In six Siamese specimens the number of ventral 

 shields was 180, 184, 185, 186, 188, and 196, and of subeaudals 

 was respectively 27 (2nd), 29 (2nd), 29 (1st), 28 (1st), 28 (2nd), and 

 27 (I st), which were double, except those whose number, counting 

 from the anterior end of the tail, is shown in brackets, which were 

 single. The anal is always divided, and the scales iu 15 rows. 



Colour (in life). The iridescent colours of this snake are most 

 beautiful and wonderful. As it crawls along, the curves of its body 

 flash brilliant lights of emerald-green, copper, blood-red, purple 

 and electric-blue, while the actual colour is a very dark rich coffee- 

 brown. The upper labials and whole lower surfaces are uniform 

 pale yellow. Individuals up to 250 mm. in length have a distinct 

 broad yellow coUar, which disappears entirely in adults. 



Size. The largest Bangkok specimen I have measured was 

 775 mm. in total length, but the species grows larger than that. 



Hab. Southern India, Burma, Siam, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, 

 Nias, Java, Borneo, Celebes, 



