( 205 ) 



S. Khasiensis, Jerdon. Proc. As. Soc, B., 1870, p. 81. 



Shields of the head short, not covering the occiput. Prse- 

 frontals very small. Postfrontals very large. Vertical broader 

 than long. One prseocular. Two postoculars. No temporals, 

 small scales immediately following the postocular. 8 upper 

 labials, the fifth and sixth entering the orbit, the last very long. 

 3 pairs of small chin shields. Scales ovate, tuberculated or 

 ridged, not imbricate, and increasing in size toward the ventrals. 

 Ventrals 207. 



Length 26-5. (Tail 775.) 



Inhabits the Khasi Hills. 



Family Ptthonid^. 



Habit moderate, but size large. TaU prehensile. Head 

 depressed, snout truncated or rounded in front. Eye moderate, 

 pupil vertical. Scales smooth, some of the labials pitted. A spur- 

 like prominence on either side of vent, indicating a rudimentary 

 limb beneath the skin. 



Python, Daudin. 



The anterior half only of the head covered with shields, the 

 hinder with scales. Nostrils between two unequal shields. 



P. reticulatus, Schn. 

 Scales in 74 rows in the middle of the body. Behind the 

 postfrontals a pair of large shields, followed by four shields in 

 line, the inner being smallest, followed by the vertical. Three 

 loreals, two small, above a long one. Three prseoculars, one 

 large, above two small ones. A single labial below the orbit. 

 The first five upper labials deeply pitted and the ninth to the 

 thirteenth lower labials (Stol.) Colour during life clear grey, 

 superbly reticulated with black with a rich glossy lustre. The 

 grey colour of the back is seen as a series of oblique lozenges 

 separated by black and yellow margined. Yellow is also 

 interspersed on the interstitial black ground, between the 

 lozenges and on the sides forms irregular ocelli. The minor 



