LIOPELTIS 161 



Remarks. — The species differs from Elaphe erythrura Dumeril 

 and Bibron in a higher average of ventrals and subcaudals ; the 

 average for E. philippina is about 235 for ventrals, and 106 for 

 subcaudals ; while in E. erythrura ventrals average 221 and sub- 

 cuadals 93. The markings are distinctive, as shown by Griffin ; 

 the head is slenderer in E. pJiilippina. The types are from Pa- 

 lawan. Specimens have since been taken in Busuanga, Balabac, 

 and Bongao. The species feeds largely on birds and small mam- 

 mals. It probably never eats reptiles or amphibians. It is 

 absolutely harmless to man. 



Genus LIOPELTIS Fitzinger 



Coronella, part., Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 2 (1837) 50. 



Herpetodryas, part., Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 2 (1837) 173. 



Liopeltis Fitzinger, Syst. Rept. (1843) 26; Stejneger, Bull. U. S. 



Nat. Mus. 58 (1907) 337. 

 Ablabes, part., Dumeril and BiBRON, Erp. Gen. 7 (18.54) 304; 



Gunther, Cat. Col. Snakes (1858) 27; Rept. Brit. India (1864) 



223. 

 Cyclophis, part., Gunther, Cat. Col. Snakes (1858) 119; Rept. Brit. 



India (1864) 229. 

 Eurypholis Hallowell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia (1860) 



493 and 559; Jan, Elenco Sist. Ofid. (1863) 81. 

 Phragmitophis GtJNTHER, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. Ill 9 (1862) 126. 

 Homalosoma, part., Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. 2 (1862) 33. 

 Liopeltis, part.. Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia (1860) 559; 



Jan, Elenco Sist. Ofid. (1863) 81. 

 Diadophis, part., Jan, Elenco Sist. Ofid. (1863) 261. 

 Ablabes Boulenger, Fauna Brit. India, Rept. (1890) 304; Cat. Snakes 



Brit. Mus. 2 (1894) 277. 

 Entacanthus Cope, Rep. U. S. Nat. Mus. (1898) 780. 



"Maxillary teeth small, equal, 15 to 30 ; mandibular teeth sub- 

 equal. Head not or scarcely distinct from neck ; eye rather small 

 or moderate, with round pupil; loreal present or absent; nasal 

 entire or divided. Body cylindrical, usually slender; scales 

 smooth or feebly keeled, without apical pits, in 13 to 17 rows; 

 ventrals not angulate * laterally. Tail moderate or long ; sub- 

 caudals in two rows." (From Boulenger's description of 

 Ablabes.) 



The snakes belonging to this genus are distributed over south- 

 ern and eastern Asia, Japan, Malay Peninsula, and the East 

 Indies. Two species enter the Philippines. One is the widely 

 distributed Liopeltis tricolor (Schlegel) ; the other, Liopeltis 

 philippiniin (Boettger), is probably endemic. 



* Slightly angulate in certain species. — E. H. T. 



161465 11 



