95 SNAKES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



second pair of chin shields longer and narrower than first pair, 

 separated throughout their length; scales in 17 rows, all strongly 

 keeled, median rows very small, outer large; ventrals, 154, 

 rounded; anal double; subcaudals divided, 9g; eye very large, 

 its diameter nearly equal to its distance from end of snout; 

 body rather slender ; tail very slender. 



Color in life.— Oliv&ceous above, tinged more or less with 

 pinkish, with three rows of blackish irregular spots, one me- 

 dian dorsal, the other two lateral; these are separated by two 

 rows of pinkish yellow, black-edged spots, continuing full length 

 of body ; the black and yellow spots form an irregular transverse 

 row; neck is banded with dark blackish and lighter olivaceous 

 bands; head above brownish gray, lighter on snout, sides of 

 snout brownish yellow ; upper labials yellowish with a few spots 

 anteriorly; lower rim of orbit dark; a short black line behind 

 eye; lower labials cream yellow, with spots on edge of sixth; 

 the lateral dark spots extend to ventrals ; there are one or two 

 rows of black, elongate spots on ventrals, but these do not form 

 continuous lines ; the anterior part of each ventral with numerous 

 small flecks of black ; under the last half of belly there is a more 

 or less continuous median dark line to anus ; subcaudally almost 

 black ; scales narrowly edged with lighter. 



Measurements of Matrix dendrophiops dendrophiops {Giinther) . 



mm. 



Total length 796 



Tail 240 



Width of head 18 



Length of head 24 



Variation. — The ventrals and subcaudals vary between 154 

 and 157 and 94 and 100, respectively ; the postoculars, between 

 2 and 3, thg larger percentage having 3. No. 58 (E. H. Taylor 

 collection) has a single prefrontal on one side only. In the 

 young specimens the markings are more clearly defined. There 

 are a broad blackish bar on the neck and one or two other broad 

 bands behind this. The markings resolve themselves into a 

 large series of narrow, transverse, blackish bands, interrupted 

 laterally by white dots. The type measures 900 millimeters in 

 length and is much larger than any specimen that I have 

 examined. 



Remarks. — This snake feeds on frogs and is usually found 

 not far from water. Five of the six specimens I collected were 

 taken under logs. Known only from Zamboanga, southwestern 

 Mindanao, and Bunawan in the upper Agusan Valley. 



