( 134 ) 



from fclie gape along the neck. Sometimes some irregular yellowish 

 spots along the sides and on the back. The lower part of the 

 tail is encircled by a yeUow band. 



Grows to 11 inches. 



Inhabits Southern India (Madras and the Deccan), but not 

 Ceylon as stated by some herpetologists. 



S. bicatenata Giinther. Mon. I. R., p. 191, PI. 17, f. H. H. 



Snout obtuse. Rostral rounded, shorter than the nasals, vertical 

 square. Fourth upper labial as high as long, caudal disk flat 

 terminating in a slightly upturned bicuspid scales, each scale of 

 the disk with one, two or three keels. Scales on the neck and 

 body in 17 rows. Ventrals 135, sub-caudals 12 pairs. Colour 

 black above and below, each scale on the back with a yellowish 

 margin. A yellow band broken up anteriorly into spots, runs- 

 along the edges of the fourth and fifth outer rows of scales. 



Grows to 9'5 inches (or more). 



Inhabits the Dekkan. 



S. Shortii Beddome. P. Z. S., 186-3, p. 225, PI. 25, f. 1. 



Snout not conical, but depressed and obtuse. Eye com- 

 paratively large. Rostral shorter than the nasal. Vertical 

 hexagonal, almost rectangular before and behind. Fourth upper 

 labial much longer than high, caudal disk flat, well defined, not 

 quite twice as long as broad, each scale with two or three strong 

 keels. In the middle of the body 17 rows of scales. Ventral 

 139, nearly twice as broad as the adjoining scales. Sub-caudals 

 9 pairs. Colour black, with numerous scattered white scales. 

 An irregular white band from the gape along the fore part of 

 the body. A yellowish band along each side of the tail, not 

 joined over the vent. 



Grows to 8 inches (or more). 



Inhabits the Sljeveroy hills (Shevroys), up to 4,500 feet. 



S. brevis, Giinther. Mon. I. R., p. 192, PI. XVII, £ D. 

 Snout obtuse. Rostral shorter than the vertical. Caudal disk 

 flat, nearly as long as the tail. Each scale ^ith two strong keels. 



