1871.] F. Stoliczka — On Indian and Burmese Ophidians. 435 



Zoology. The head is greenish olive, the collar brownish green or 

 black, margined posteriorly with more or less bright orange yellow, 

 most conspicuous at the sides ; on neck not only the interstitial skin 

 but also the scales are in males strongly tinged with bright 

 vermilion. Body brownish or greyish olive, anteriorly* or entirely > 

 reticulated with black and yellow ; tail uniform olive green. 



The usual size is 2 or 2£ feet, it rarely grows above 3 feet, and 

 specimens of this size lose very much of their former bright coloration , 

 A very large specimen was sent to me from the Eangnu valley be- 

 low Darjiling ; it measured 44 inches, of which the tail is 11 inches. 

 This specimen is above uniform brownish green, neck behind the 

 head yellowish green, followed by a large vermilion patch. There 

 are at the sides only traces of yellow reticulation, this colour 

 turning to white in spirits ; anterior ocular whitish, lower portions 

 of upper labials pale; below uniform dull white, sides of all 

 ventrals and sub-caudals tinged green, like the upper body, but 

 without any black dots. The black spot below the eye, so conspicu- 

 ous in younger specimens, is entirely absent. This same specimen 

 (comp. pi. xxvi, fig. 3,) differs somewhat in structure also from 

 others. There are 19 rows of keeled scales, the outermost at the 

 sides much enlarged and smooth; vent. 159; sub-caudals 81 ; 

 vertical pentagonal, with a broad front edge, its length about 

 equal to one of the sides which are slightly concave and con- 

 verging posteriorly ; each supra-orbital smaller than the vertical, 

 and barely longer ; each occipital larger than vertical, posteriorly 

 angular ; 3 post-oculars (rarely 4, on one or on both sides), 9 upper 

 labials,* 4th, 5th and 6th entering the orbit, the 7th, and 8th larg- 

 est ; temporals 2 -f- 3, the two anterior are in contact with the two 

 lower post-oculars, and the lower is much larger than the upper. 

 The three posterior temporals are arranged in an oblique line 

 extending from the occipital to tke 9th labial. Lower labials 10, 

 the two first appear to be a divided shield, and 9 seems to be 

 the normal number. The last three lower labials rapidly decrease 

 in size, and below them is a single large shield, occupying a 

 similar position to that in Schlegel's figure of trianguligerus. 



* This is the usual number in Sikkim and Burmese specimens, 8 labials are 

 rather rare. 



