OPHITES 



125 



tance from end of snout, and much shorter than parietals ; latter 

 moderate, about one and a half times as long as broad, bordered 

 by 3 temporals and a postocular; nasal apparently entire, nar- 

 rowed in the middle, the posterior portion higher and rather 

 pointed behind; no preocular; loreal elongate, twice as long as 

 high, widely separated from internasal, entering eye, in contact 

 with 2 labials below ; supraocular about twice as long as wide ; 2 



Fig. 12. Ophites subcinctus (Boie) ; drawing of a Palawan specimen; a, head, dorsal view; 

 &, head, lateral view ; X 2. 



small postoculars ; temporals 2 + 2 -|- 2 on left side, and 1 + 2 

 + 2 on right, third upper largest; 8 upper labials, third, fourth, 

 and fifth entering eye, seventh largest ; mental very small, wider 

 than deep ; 9 lower labials, 4 touching anterior chin shields, which 

 are wider and somewhat enlarged; scales in 17 rows, the 11 

 median rows slightly but distinctly keeled ; ventrals, 208, angulate 

 laterally ; anal divided ; subcaudals, 64 pairs ; eye small, less than 

 its distance from nostril. 



Color in alcohol. — Above dull purplish, banded with 10 light 

 lavender bands, each about 6 scales wide, darker medially; the 

 first band crosses occipital region; labials light colored; throat 

 and belly yellowish without markings ; tail dimly banded with 6 

 bands almost same shade as ground color ; below yellowish white. 



Measurements of Ophites subcinctus (Boie). 



mm. 

 Total length 505 



Snout to vent ' 416 



Tail 89 



Width of head 11 



Variation. — A second specimen in the collection agrees with 

 the described specimen, save that the head is less flattened, due 



