150 SNAKES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



eye, sixth largest, first smallest; 7 lower labials, first 4 in 

 contact with anterior chin shields, which are much larger than 

 second pair; mental wider than deep, separated from first pair 

 of chin shields; scales smooth, rounded, in 15 rows; no apical 

 pits evident; 139 ventrals; subcaudals, 36; anal entire; tail 

 ending in a sharp point, slender. 



Color. — Dark puiplish brown above with eleven small, light 

 brown, rhomboidal spots along back; lateral scales finely 

 flecked with white dots; occasional, larger white spots present; 

 upper surface of head gray-brown, with a chevron-shaped, brown 

 band passing through eyes, rather dim between eyes ; a second 

 chevron-shaped, dark-brown band on neck, its point nearly con- 

 fluent with middle of first band ; behind this a similar stripe of 

 lighter brov«i, wider on side than medially; a dark spot on 

 sixth upper labial and another on fourth and fifth lower labials ; 

 two distinct spots on anterior chin shields ; chin with various 

 small spots; throat with a large blotch confluent with the 

 chevron-shaped neck band ; remainder of ventral surface uniform 

 coral red (cream color in alcohol). The body coloration extends 

 slightly on the ventral scales. 



Measzirements of Oligodon huahigensh G^'iffin. 



mm. 



Total length 324 



Snout to vent 267 



Tail ,57 



Width of head 8.5 



Length of head 12.5 



Variation. — No variation in scalation is observable save that 

 in No. R 923 the anal is divided. Both specimens have a small 

 scale inserted between the last ventral and the anal. The 

 coloration and marking are the same. 



Remarks. — I am not yet fully convinced as to the distinctness 

 of this species from 0. schadcnhergi. The latter species is de- 

 scribed as follows : "Anal divided — dark gray above with white 

 black-edged spots, — orange below," whereas the present species 

 has the anal entire and is purplish brown above with small, 

 red, black-edged spots, and rose below. However the color of 

 the type of 0. iivahigensis easily fits the color scheme of 0. 

 schadenbergi since it has been preserved in alcohol. The anal 

 character would separate them, were it constant; but the fact 

 that, of the two specimens of 0. iwahigcnsis examined, one has 

 the anal single and the other double, leads me to suspect that 

 the two forms may be the same, and that one or the other 



