392 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



with from 26 to 38 black bands or bars, often of a rhombic 

 shape and with a tendency to confluence vertebrally. The 

 adornment is very variable, and the colour varieties may be 

 grouped as follows : — 



A. — With complete bands, often confluent vertebrally, but 

 discrete ventrally. Analogous to variety A of ornata, 

 and spiralis and B of cyanocincta. A rare form. 

 Jerdon's specimen in the British Museum from Madras 

 and one of Sir Joseph Fayrer's specimens (No. 8,277) 

 in the Indian Museum from Puri furnish good 

 examples. 



B. — Intermediate between A and C. With dorsal bars 

 anteriorly, and complete bands posteriorly. A young 

 specimen in the Indian Museum from Puri, presented 

 by Sir Joseph Fayrer, is the only example I 

 know. 



C. — typica (Schmidt). With dorsal bars throughout ; dis- 

 crete or more or less confluent Vertebrally. The 

 usual Indian form, which is Very comparable to form 

 typica of ornata, variety C of spiralis, and D of 

 cyanocincta. 



D. — Like the last, only the bars replaced by rhombs, the 

 angles of which often meet Vertebrally. A common 

 variety, of which I have seen examples from Karachi, 

 the Malabar Coast, and Ceylon. 



E. — jayahari (Boulenger). With a continuous broad 

 black stripe dorsally, as though the bars of Variety C 

 were completely confluent. This band is sharply 

 defined costally. Completely analogous with variety 

 E of ornata. Not very uncommon. I have seen 

 examples from Muscat, Bombay, Puri, and the Orissa 

 Coast. 



F. — nigra (Anderson). This is completely black, and is 

 to be regarded as a melanotic subject. It was captured 

 at Puri and is in the Indian Museum. 



