200 Desertions of Uoo new species of Reptiles. [No. 8, 



colour. The whole of the dark markings on the top of the head, and 

 centre of the nape, form a united figure resembling a barbed arrow- 

 head, of which the shaft is broken off a little behind the posterior ends 

 of the barb ; the point of the arrow-head being directed forwards, and 

 terminating on the prse-frontals. 



"Whole of back marked with large, broad, round, or oval-shaped, oli- 

 vaceous mouse-brown or dark schistaceous olivaceous blotches, edged 

 with black ; these blotches are sometimes separate, or distinct from one 

 another, and sometimes confluent, — and in the latter case they resemble 

 some kinds of chintz pattern. The dorsal blotches become much darker 

 towards the tail, — and, at length, become quite black cross-bands on the 

 tail itself. Between each of these broad dark coloured blotches, there is 

 a narrowish, greenish-yellow transverse band, which unites below with 

 the bright yellow colour of the sides. Ground colour of sides, bright 

 yellow, but marked with a double line of lateral dark, lozenge-shaped 

 and irregular shaped spots, large and small, of the same colour as the 

 transverse blotches of the back. The larger of the lateral lozenge- 

 shaped spots sometimes alternate with the lateral extensions of the 

 dorsal blotches, — being sometimes situated in the midst of the yellow 

 lateral interspaces. Ground colour of ventral plates yellow, marked, 

 in irregular alternation, with square- shaped black spots, which generally 

 go in pairs, or alternately 1 and 2, and sometimes singly, with alter- 

 nate yellow interspaces. 



Teeth very small, apparently 22, in upper maxillary : 5th tooth, on 

 each side bifid : — hindmost tooth broad, short and thick, or tubercular. 

 There appear to be (as far as I can see) either 14, or 16 teeth in the 

 lower maxillary : hindmost tooth longer than the others, sharp and 

 recurved : second hind tooth also sharp and recurved. 



While at Allahabad, the year before last, I bought four living snakes 

 from a snake-catcher, which I think I might find reason to class in 

 my new Genus Feranioides, — if not actually identical as to species 

 with the individual above described. 



In colouring, they somewhat resembled certain snakes which I re- 

 member seeing in the Calcutta Museum collection, named by Blyth 

 " JPythonella,''' and by Giinther " llomalopsis," the Homalopsida 

 being the family to which the Genus Ferania and Feranioides 

 belong. 



