1871.] F. Stoliczka — On Indian and Burmese Ophidians. 437 



evidently not counted), and 74 pairs of sub-caudals. The third 

 more uniformly coloured specimen has 170 ventrals, and 75 pairs of 

 sub-caudals. All specimens have traces of dark spots on the ventrals. 

 Thus the identity of macrops and macrophthalmus, both of which 

 came from the vicinity of Darjiling, cannot be questioned. But 

 I very much doubt that even T. Sikkimensis, lately described by 

 Dr. Anderson from the same locality, is anything but a rather 

 uniformly coloured variety of macrops. General form, dilatable 

 neck, large eye, structure of shields on the head and scales on the 

 body are to all appearance perfectly identical. The only difference 

 I can trace between macrops and the few specimens referable to 

 T. Sikkimensis is, that in the latter the vertical is a little longer, 

 but this is not the case to any such extent as would not be found 

 repeated in other varieties of one and the same species. 



In the two specimens, described by Anderson as T. Sikki- 

 mensis, the scales are somewhat feebly keeled, but this is most 

 likely a sexual difference. I have obtained a male specimen from 

 the Bangnu valley below Darjiling, and in this the scales are very 

 distinctly keeled, (precisely as in macrops). It has, like the type, 

 19 rows of scales, posterior to the middle 17, and towards the anus 

 only 15 (like macrops). The anterior frontals are slightly less than, 

 or equal to, one half of the posterior frontals, which is also the case 

 in the two types of Sikkimensis. Vertical 5 -sided, the lateral sides 

 about equal to, or shorter than, the front margin, but not longer ; 

 the posterior sides are shortest and form a right angle. The supra- 

 ciliaries are slightly longer than the vertical ; the occipitals are 

 obliquely truncate behind, meeting at the suture with an inwardly 

 bent angle. Temporals 2 + 3. Anterior chin-shields in contact 

 with 4 or 5 lower labials. All these variations of structure are 

 perfectly the same, as may be seen in specimens of macrops. 



As regards general coloration, my specimen agrees with macrops 

 (typical) in being brown above, while both those* described by Dr. 

 Anderson are pale olive ; front neck tinged with green, but with- 

 out a distinct collar ; body reticulated with black and yellow, the 

 black having an inclination to form laterally irregular blotches. 



* But fresher specimens which he subsequently received are also distinctly 

 brownish. 



