128 



SNAKES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



separated toward ventral surface; ventral portions of most of 

 the browii bands narrowly separated from dorsal parts by fine 

 white lines; a large brown spot on end of most of ventral 

 scales; ventral surface of head and body white; brown dots 

 become increasingly numerous on lower surface as anus is ap- 

 proached; lower surface of tail closely covered with brown dots; 

 upper surface of head very dark brown, almost black, adorned 

 by a reticulate pattern of fine white lines; centers and lower 

 edges of upper labial scales white, their adjoining edges brown; 

 all scales extremely smooth and glossy. 



Measurements of Haplonodon philipphiensis Griffin. 



len^h 



mm. 



800 



196 



23 



13 



Total 

 Tail 



Head length 

 Head width 



Variation. — A second specimen taken near Los Baiios, Luzon, 

 is smaller and immature. The head is triangular, very distinct 

 from body, and noticeably flattened. There are eighty-five brown 

 bars across the body, thirty-one of which belong to the tail. The 

 tail is extremely slender. The color of the specimen is darker 

 brown than that of the adult described. 



Table 22. — Measure^nents and scale counts of Haplonodon philippinensis 



Griffin. 



No. 



Locality. 



»S83 : Polillo--. ..^ C. Canonizado 



211 ! Los Banos, Luzon E. H. Taylor ._ 



Length. 



mm. 



800 

 S05 



■ 883 

 211 



Ven- 

 trale. 



Sub- 

 cau- 

 dals. 



Upper i Scale 

 labials, rows. 



vim. 

 1% 

 81 



203 



206 



96 

 127 



17 

 17 



4,5 



4. S \ 



Bureau of Science. 

 E. H. Taylor. 



" Type. 



Remarks. — These two specimens are the only ones known, 

 which is rather remarkable in view of the fact that the localities 

 known are on separate islands. Evidently it is extremely rare. 



It is unknown to the inhabitants of Polillo, according to 

 Griffin. * The people in the locality where it was taken by 

 myself said they had never seen a similar specimen. 



Philip. Journ. Sci. § D 5 (1910) 213. 



