OPHIDIA. 



819 



Tropidonotus dipsas, Blyth. 



Tropidonotus dipsas, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc, Bengal, vol. xxiii, 1854, p. 297. 



Tropidonotus junceus, Stoliczka, Journ. As. Soc, Bengal, vol. xl, 1871, p. 434; Theobald, Descr. 

 Cat. Rept., Brit. Ind., 1876, p. 176. 



Twelve specimens were collected of this snake ; a young one from Ponsee, 

 another example from Sanda, and the remainder from the secluded valley of Hotha. 

 The species is very prevalent around the village of Hotha, where it is the common 

 grass-snake. There is a certain similarity in its colouring to T, stolatus^ which it 

 appears to replace in Western China. T. stolatus is found but sparingly at Bhamd, 

 and seemingly does not extend its range to the Kakhyen hills, which form the 

 natural boundary between the low-lying valley of the Irawady and the elevated 

 country of Yunnan. 



Head distinct from the neck, moderately long and broad, slightly depressed. 

 Snout rather rounded at the point ; scales in 19 rows, strongly keeled. Rostral twice 

 as broad as high. Anterior frontals sub-triangular, transversely truncated in front 

 and more than half as large as the posterior frontals. Vertical nearly as long as 

 the occipitals. Lateral margins convergent, sHghtly concave in some, convex in 

 others ; hinder margins meeting at a right angle, occipitals rounded behind. In 

 young specimens they are narrower than in adults and more elongated. Eight or 

 seven upper labials, the third, fourth, and fifth, or third and fourth, entering the orbit ; 

 the latter when two of the labials are confluent. Loreal square. One to three pre- 

 oculars, the upper reaching the surface of 'the head. Three postoculars. Temporals 

 irregular, 2 -f 1 + 3, or 2 or 1 + 1 + 2. One or two temporals in contact with 

 one to three postoculars. Anterior pair of chin shields much shorter than the hinder 

 pair, in contact with five lower labials. Eighteen teeth in each jaw, with two longer 

 behind, scarcely separated by an interval. General colour dark olive-brown, with 

 a black lateral band from behind the eye to the angle of the mouth and along the 

 side of the body to the end of the tail with a lighter olive-brown band below it ; the 

 lateral margins of the ventrals being edged with black : a light olive-yellow band 

 above the black one, commencing a little way behind the eye and extending to the 

 tip of the tail. Under surface gamboge-yellow. 



The following table will illustrate the amount of variation to which this species 

 is subject. 



Total length . . . . 

 Length of head , . 

 „ tail 



Inches. 



11-00 



0-48 

 1-67 



luehes, 



24-66 

 0-58 

 6-25 



Inches. 



25-00 

 0-62 

 6-16 



Inches, 



23-62 

 0-58 

 6-46 



Inches. 



25-08 

 0-62 

 6-62 



Inches. 



23-83 



0-60 

 6-00 



Inches. 



23-33 



0-54 

 605 



Inches. 



18-25 

 0-50 

 4-58 



Inches. 



17-62 

 0-46 

 4-62 



Ventrals 



Sub-caudals .... 



162 



78 



174 

 85 



165 

 81 



170 



88 



163 



89 



168 



88 



175 



86 



161 



85 



175 



95 



Nineteen rows of scales in all the specimens, save No. 3, which has only 18 on 

 the middle of the trunk, and a little farther back only 17 rows of scales. 



