OPHIDIA. 811 



the first labial from contact with the rostral. Both pairs of frontals are trans- 

 versely elongated : the vertical is rather lower than the superciliary. The occipitals 

 are large and obliquely truncated behind, and only in contact with the upper 

 postocular. One preocular reaching the upper surface of the head: two post- 

 oculars in contact, with an elongated temporal, behind which there is another 

 elongated shield alongside the occipital, and below it, and over the ninth and tenth 

 labials, there are two smaller temporal shields. There are ten upper labials, the 

 fourth, fifth and sixth entering the orbit ; the eighth and tenth the largest ; and 

 two pairs of chin-shields, the anterior in contact with four labials. 



It is uniformly reddish-brown above ; olive-yellow below. A broad black collar, 

 with a yellow border behind, is continued along the upper lip. A black curved 

 band passes over the posterior ends of the occipitals ; and another over the hinder 

 margin of the superciliaries and vertical, faint-black, and marbled on the other 

 shields of the head. A short dark indistinct vertebral line on the neck; and 

 a black dot on the angle of each ventral and sub-caudal ; the anterior eighth of 

 the body has an additional spot internal to the black dot. 



The whole under surface of the lower jaw is minutely speckled, and there is 

 a black spot on the margin of each upper labial. 



This species appears to be a hill form, as it has hitherto been found only in the 

 Himalaya, Khasia, Jaintia and Yunnan mountains at considerable elevations. Its 

 most western known limit is the valley of the Sutlej. 



Ablabes bistrigatus, Giinther. 



Ablabes histrigatus, Giinther, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1868, June, p. 417 ; Theobald, Journ. 

 Linn. Soc, 1868, p. 42; Descr. Cat. Rept. Brit. Ind. 1876, p. 155. 



The first example of the species was obtained in Pegu by Mr. Theobald, and 

 is now in the British Museum, and the second specimen which I found at Prome 

 perfectly agrees with it. 



The Prome specimen measures 10*50 inches, of wliich the head isO'25, the gape 

 0*16, and the tail 3 inches. There are 185 ventrals and 77 sub-caudals. The scales 

 are in 17 series, and the anal is bifid. The loreal is longer than high, and the 

 vertical is rather large, but much smaller than the occipitals, which are rounded, 

 and in contact with the postoculars behind. One preocular and two postoculars ; 

 one temporal in contact with the lower postocular, and another elongated shield 

 behind it and below the occipital. Two other temporal shields between the eighth, 

 ninth and tenth labials and the occipito-temporal shield ; ten upper labials ; 

 the fourth, fifth and sixth shields entering the orbit. The eighth shield excluded 

 from the labial margin by the seventh and ninth shields. Two chin-shields sub- 

 equal in size, the first in contact with fourth labials. About 30 crowded small teeth 

 of nearly equal size in each division of the upper jaw. Colour uniform olive- 

 brown. Upper surface of the head black ; a yellow band from the eye to the 

 neck, and another from the occipitals ; the former crossed by two black bands, one 



