6. MELANOPHIDIUM. 163 



Total length 400 millitn. 

 Wynad (Chambra Hill). 



a. c? (V. 1G4; C. 12). Ohambra Hill. Col. Beddome [0.]. 



(Type.) 

 b-c. d (V. 170; C. 11) Chambra Hill. Col. Beddome [C.]. 



&? (V. 177;C.8). 



6. MELANOPHIDIUM. 



Melanophidiura, Giinth. Sept. Brit. Ind. p. 193 (1864) ; Beddome, 

 Ann. ^ Mag. N. K. (5) xvii. 1886, p. 29 ; Bovleng. Faun. Ind., 

 Rept. p. 272 (1890). 



Eye in the ocular shield. A median groove along the chin. 

 No supraocular ; no temporal. Tail cylindrical or slightly com- 

 pressed, the terminal scute pointed or with one or two vertical 

 ridges. Palatine teeth present. 



Southern India. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Suture between the ocular and the frontal more than one 

 third the length of the latter shield. 1. wynadense, p. 163. 



IT. Suture between the ocular and the frontal less than one third 

 the length of the latter shield. 



Yentrals and subcaudals black, edged with 



white 2. punctatum, p. 164. 



Ventrals black, subcaudals white 3. bilineatum, p. 164. 



1. MelanopMdium wynadense. 



Plectrurus wynandensis, Beddome, Proc. Zool. Sac. 1863, p. 228. 



Melanophidium wynandense, Giinth. Sept. Brit. Ind. p. 194, pi. xvii. 

 fig. 3 (1864) ; Theob. Cat. JRept. Brit. Ind. p. 138 (1876) ; Bed- 

 dome, Ann. Sr Mag. N. H. (6) xvii. 1886, p. 80 ; Bouleng. Faun. 

 Ind., Rept. p. 272 (1890). 



Snout rounded ; rostral smaU, just visible from above ; frontal 

 as long as its distance from the end of the snout ; suture between 

 the ocular and the frontal more than one third the length of the 

 latter shield. Eye very small. Diameter of body 44 to 48 

 times in the total length. 15 scales round the middle of the body, 

 17 or 19 behind the head. Ventrals rather more than twice the 

 size of the contiguous scales, 176-185. Subcaudals 10-15. 

 Black, beautifully iridescent, uniform or with large yeUow spots 

 on the belly. 



Total length 445 millim. 



Wynad, Malabar, 3000-5000 feet. 



a 2 (V. 185; C. 11). Near Manantoddy. Col. Beddome [C.]. 



(Type.) 



b, r. 2 (V. 185, 176 ; Near Manantoddy. Col. Beddome [0.]. 

 C. 11, 12). 



m2 



