234 W. L. Sclater — Notes on the Snakes in the Indian Museum. [No. 3, 



Lycodon fasciatus, (Anders.), Boulenger, p. 295. 



The Indian Museum possesses two specimens of this rather rare 

 species, one from Shillong in the Khasia hills collected by the late Major 

 Cock, and one from Tezpur obtained by Col. God win- Austen ; the 

 species has been hitherto recorded only from the Kakhyen hills and 

 Western Yunnan. 



POLTODONTOPHIS BISTRIGATUS, (Giinth.), Boulenger, p. 304. 



The geographical area of this species can be extended to the Nico- 

 bars whence there is an example procured by Mr. de Roepstorff. 



Ablabes stoliczkab, sp. nov. PL VI, fig. 1. 



Rostral shield broader than deep, the part visible from above about 

 two-thirds the length of the internasals ; internasals shorter than the 

 prefrontals and somewhat triangular, frontal hardly as long as its dis- 

 tance from the end of the snout, and a good deal shorter than the parie- 

 tals ; nostrils rounded, about the middle of the length of an undivided 

 shield which is quite three times as large as the loreal ; this latter is 

 very small and squarish ; one preocular not reaching the upper part of 

 the head, two postocular both in contact with the parietals ; eye of mo- 

 derate size, about half the length of the snout ; temporals 1 + 2 ; upper 

 labials eight, fourth and fifth entering the eye; four lower labials in 

 contact with the anterior chih shields which are about as long as the 

 posterior. Scales smooth, in fifteen rows. Ventrals 153-4, subcaudals 

 116-9. Anal divided. Colour light olive-brown above, lighter olive 

 yellow below, the two colours separated in front by a conspicuous broad 

 longitudinal black streak, extending from just in front of the eye back 

 along the neck for an inch or so. 



There are two specimens of this species in the Museum. One pro- 

 cured at Samagooting in the Naga hills of Assam by Capt. J Butler, 

 the other to which no locality is attached but which was received from 

 Dr. F. Stoliczka of the Geological Survey. 



This species differs fi'om all the Indian species of Ablates described 

 by Boulenger, except Ablabes calamaria, in having a single nasal shield ; 

 in all the other species of the genus the nasal shield is divided or semi- 

 divided. 



From A. calamaria to which it is most nearly allied, it differs in 

 having a loreal distinct from the nasal shield, in having both postoculars in 

 contact with the parietal and in the much larger number of subcaudals, 

 116-9 against 64-76 in A. calamaria. 



