106 BARBOUR: ZOOGEOGRAPHY. 



the mainland. This species is doubtless common, though difficult to find, in the 

 vicinity of Buitenzorg. It is usually found burrowing in leaf-mould, or under 

 the loose bark of a decaying forest tree. The brilliant red of the under surface 

 of the tail is lost very soon after preservation in spirits. This form occurs over 

 southeastern Asia, and on Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Celebes. Among a few 

 purchased snakes, which were said to have come from Ternate, are several 

 specimens with no unusual features as regards color or squamation. 



The curious habit which this form, as well as Doliophis intestinalis, has of 

 exposing the red under surface of the tail, has been well described and figured 

 by Flower (Proc. Zool. soc. London, 1899, p. 656-657, pi. 37). I had excellent 

 opportunity to verify these observations, with which my own agree. It should 

 be added, however, that the Javanese have not the fear of either of these serpents 

 which seems to be held by the Peninsula Malays. (Boulenger, Fasc. Malay. 

 Zool., 1903, 1, p. 169-170. Annandale's field notes). 



Xenopeltis unicolor Reinwardt. 

 Reinwardt in Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 664. Boulenger, Cat. snakes Brit, mus., 1893, 1, p. 168-169. 



Type locality: — Java. 



Bryant got one example at Buitenzorg. It is typical in every way. Schlegel 

 (Essai phys. Serp., 1837, 2, p. 20) says: "Le Xenopeltis est un des serpens les 

 plus rares de I'ile de Java, ou le professeur Reinwardt I'a decouvert le premier; 

 il a ete depuis retrouve par nos voyageurs a Sumatra et a ete egalement envoye 

 de Celebe au Musee de Paris." Rare it certainly is, for up to 1907 the Buiten- 

 zorg museum had no specimens, and I was quite unable to find the species 

 myself. 



Chersydrus granulatus (Schneider). 

 Schneider, Hist. Amphib., 1799, 1, p. 243. Boulenger, Cat. snakes Brit, mus., 1893, 1, p. 174. 



Type locality: — unknown. 



This form is barely separable generically from its doubtless very near ally, 

 Acrochordus javanicus Hornstedt. Except for the greater compression of body 

 and tail and the elevation of a few series of ventral scales to form a median 

 ventral fold, these forms are extremely similar in both internal and external 

 morphology. It seems probable that a critical review of the five known genera 

 of Acrochordinae would reduce Chersydrus to subgeneric rank. This can not 

 be undertaken now on account of lack of material. All of the other genera, 

 except Acrochordus and Chersydrus are very rare in collections. C. granulatus 

 is generally common in brackish or salt-water. At Makassar, Celebes, it may 

 be found at almost any time crawling slowly on the filthy floor of the "passer 



