The Philippine Journal of Science, 



D. General Biology, Ethnology and Anthropology. 



Vol. VI. No. 5, November, 1911. 



A CHECK-LIST AND KEY OF PHILIPPINE SNAKES. 



By Laweence Edmonds Griffin.' 

 {From the Zoological Lahoraiory, XJniversity of the Philip-pines, Manila, P. I.) 



It is twenty-five years ^ since a list of Philippine snakes has been 

 published. During this time Boulenger's ^ monograph has appeared and 

 the systematic position of many species has been so changed as to limit 

 the use of Boettger's list. A considerable number of species has also 

 been added to the fauna of the Philippines since the appearance of the 

 "Catalogue of Snakes." 



The object of the present paper is not only to present a complete list 

 of the ophidian fauna of the Philippines so far as it is now known, but 

 also to present this information in such a form that it can be used by 

 persons who are interested in their local animals. For this reason the 

 list of species is arranged in the form of a key, in which external characters 

 are used to distinguish the species, so far as is possible. The experience 

 of the author indicates that snakes not heretofore recorded from the 

 Philippines, and even new species, may still be met with in any locality. 

 As a large part of the Philippines is still in a , zoologically unexplored 

 condition, considerable additions to the herpetological fauna inay be 

 ■ expected. Two species not previously recorded from the Philippines are 

 included in this paper; namely, Xenopeltis unicolor Keinw. and Zaocys 

 carinatus Giinther. The occurrence of these species in Palawan again 

 calls attention to the close relationship of the far^nee of that island and 

 Borneo.* 



In the following list only definite localities usually are given, refer- 

 ences to "Philippines" being omitted unless there is no more exact 

 locality known. The classification used in this list is that of Boulenger. 



' Associate professor of zoology, University of the Philippines. 



- Boettger, Oskar, Aufzahlung der von den Philippinen bekannten Reptilien und 

 Batraehier. Berieht iiber die Senck. Naturf. Ges. (1886), 91-134. 



" Boulenger, George Albert, Catalogue of Snakes in the British Museum, 

 (1893-96), 1-3. 



' Boulenger, G. A., on the Herpetological Fauna of Palawan and Balabae. 

 Ann.d Mag. Nat. Hist. (1894). VI, 14, Sl-89. 



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