28 



Head may be spotted or entirely, or partially 

 black above. 

 HahitatSind, N.-W. India, Kashmir. 



THE CHECKERED KEELBAGK {Tropidonotus piscator).* 



Length — Grows to four feet. 



Shape — Head : distinct with narrow crown. 

 Body : rather stout. 

 Tail : often short in females. 

 Eye : moderate, pupil round, iris edged with 



gold. 

 Nostrils : rather superior. 



Head shields — Normal. Loreal rhombic- Internasals 

 form a triangle ; one prse-ocular ; three post- 

 oculars. Labials, 9 (4, 5). 



Scales — 19, keeled. 



Ventrals— 129 to 149 ; anal bifid. Sub-caudals 50—90, 

 double. 



Colouring — Varies from yellow to very dark olive brown. 

 May be six alternating rows of square black 

 dots, forming black checkers, but soraetinoes 

 only the outer row is distinct. There may be 

 red colouration between the outer dots. Two 

 black streaks go backward from the orbit. 

 Belly cream-coloured with lateral black ven- 

 tral margins. 



Habitat— Common in India and Burma. 



THE BUFF-STKIPED KEELBACK {Tropidonotus atolatus).^ 



Length — A rather small snake. May grow to 2^ feet. 

 Most specimens under 2 feet. 



* Tropidonotui quincunciatus. (Nicholson), 

 t The Chameleon Snake (Nicholson). 



