152 SNAKES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



a spot under nostril; edges of lower jaw and throat with larger 

 blotches of darker; under tail brick red ; sonaetimes with a 

 median series of larger, white, black-edged dots. 



Remm-ks.^The types consist of two adults and a half -gi own 

 specimen from Busuanga. I failed to obtain specimens of this 

 rare snake during my recent visit to Busuanga. Only the types 



are known. 



Genus GONYOSOMA Wagler 



Gonyoso'nm Waglek, Icon. Amph. (1S2S) Nat. Syst. Amph.(1830) 

 184- DUMERIL and BiBEON, Erp. Gen. 7 (1854) 213; Gunther, 

 Cat. Col. Snakes (18.58) 122; Kept. Brit. India (1864) 293; Boett- 

 GER, Ber. Senck. Nat. Ges. (1886) 110; Casto de Elera, Cat. Fauna 

 Filipinas 1 (1895) 432. -d -^ t r 



CMer, part., BoiE, Isis (1827) 537; Boulenger, Fauna Brit India, 

 Kept. (1890) 330; Sclater, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal 60 (isyi) --■«, 

 Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus. 2 (1894) 24. 



Herpetodryns, part., Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 2 (1837) 189; Caxtor, 



Cat. Mai. Rept. (1847) 80. 

 Tt/ria FITZINGER, Neue Class. Rept. (1843) 60. 



Body compressed; ventrals more than 200, slightly keeled, 

 turning up on sides; snout subacuminate ; teeth smooth, equal 

 in length ; 1 preocular, 2 postoculars ; eye small, pupil round ; head 

 shields regular ; head slender, distinct from neck ; scales smooth 

 or feebly keeled ; scales in 23 to 27 rows ; tail long ; subcaudals 



double. 



The genus is not a large one and has frequently been regarded 

 as belonging to the genus Elaphe. This association however is 

 not warranted. One species,* Goviiosoma o.rncepliahnu (Boie), 

 enters the Philippines. The snakes of this species are arboreal 

 in habit and feed largely on small mammals and birds. Giin- 

 ther t states that they are of fierce disposition, and that in order 

 to strike, they raise the anterior third of the body from the 

 ground. They are harmless to man. 



GONYOSOMA OXYCEPH ALU M (Boie) 



Coluber oxyccpliahts Boie, Isis (1S27) ; Boulenger, Fauna Brit. 



India, Rept. (1890) 335; Sclater, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal 60 (1891) 



239; Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus. 2 (1894) 56. 

 Gonyosoma viridc Wagler, Icon. Amph. (1828) pi. 9. 

 Herpetodryas osiicejiluiliis Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 2 (1837) 189, pi- 



7, figs. 8 and 9; .Abbild. (1844) pi. 44, figs. 1-9; Cantor, Cat. IMal. 



Rept. (1847) 80. 



* Casto de Elera's record of Gonyosoma frcnatiim Gray is very probably 

 erroneous, as that species is confined to India, 

 t Rept. Brit. India (1864) 294. 



