1871. J F. Stoliczka — On Indian and Burmese Ophidians. 433 



two large shields behind each other along each side of the occipi- 

 tals; 19 rows of sharply keeled, rather narrow scales; 140 ven- 

 trals, 63 sub-caudals. 



There are 20 or 22 maxillary teeth, the last barely longer than 

 the preceding, and all appear to form a continuous series ; but the 

 specimen is young and the maxilla not very well preserved. It is, 

 (in Tropidonoti at least), very often the case, that young specimens 

 have a considerably larger number of maxillary teeth than old ones. 



Colour, above, olive brown, with two longitudinal series of black 

 dots along the back, sides of neck with transverse yellowish bars, 

 the skin next to the bars being intensely black, the bars themselves 

 becoming gradually indistinct, and passing towards the middle of the 

 body into indistinct spots and reticulations ; each occipital near the 

 suture with a yellow spot, edged with black, and there is also a similar 

 yellow spot on the shield wedged in between the angular termina- 

 tions of the occipitals. All three spots very probably disappear with 

 age,. as they also do in other allied species. Prse- and post-oculars 

 mostly bright yellow, upper labials greenish yellow, each with its 

 hinder edge black, the same is the case with the lower labials, and 

 all the ventrals and sub-caudals have their edges deep black ; chin 

 white ; general color below greenish or dull white. 



This description is taken from a rather young specimen, mea- 

 suring only 16|- inches, of which the tail is 5 inch, but it 

 appears to be distinct from any of the known Indo-Malayan species. 

 The general coloration and several points in the structure of the 

 shields of the head closely resemble T. trianguligerus, (Reinw.), but, 

 taking SchlegePs figure of this species as a guide, the present form 

 differs by the much more elongated shape of the vertical, larger occi- 

 pitals, only one anterior temporal, generally smaller and narrower 

 scales, and by the yellow and black bars at the side of the body being 

 differently shaped. The form of the vertical of hellulus agrees with 

 that of T. quincuncticdus but the frontals are comparatively larger 

 and less pointed in front, and there are 3 labials below the orbit 

 although there are three well developed post-oculars present. In 

 other respects, particularly in the black edged ventrals, the species 

 very closely agrees with the variety described by Daudin, Schlegel 

 and Cantor as T. umbratus. 



55 



