DENDROPHIS 165 



of a half scale row ; these continue only to near anus ; the light 

 areas between the brown lines laterally are punctate with many 

 small brownish dots; head olive, with an indistinct dark line 

 behind eye, this being the origin of the lateral brown line ; 

 labials, chin, and throat immaculate ; ventrals with small dots 

 on their outer edges and a few scattered larger dots in a median 

 row along middle part of belly; the lateral punctations on sub- 

 caudals form an indistinct line. 



Measurements of Liopeltls pJiilippinus (Boettger) . 



mm. 



Total length 640 



Snout to vent 390 



Tail 250 

 Length of head 20 



Width of head 10.5 



Variation. — Boettger gives the ventral count as 144 to 146 ; 

 the subcaudal, as 118. 



Remarks. — No other specimen of this rare snake is at hand 

 for comparison. This one agrees well with the type descrip- 

 tion. Boettger's two types are from Samar and Culion, col- 

 lected by Moellendorff and Koch. With so wide a distribution 

 it is striking that so few specimens have reached collections and 

 that it has remained undiscovered until so late a date. 



Genus DENDEOPHIS Bole 



Ahxtulla, part., Gray, Ann. Phil. 10 (1825) 208. 



Leptophis, part.. Bell, Zool. Journ. 2 (1825) 328; Jan, Elenco Sist. 



Ofld. (18e3) 84. 

 Dendroplois BoiB, Isis (1827) 520; Boettger, Ber. Senck. Nat. Ges. 



(1886) 111; BouLENGER, Fauna Brit. India, Kept. (1890) 337; 



Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus. 2 (1894) 77; Casto de Eler.-v, Cat. Fauna 



Filipinas 1 (1895) 433. 

 Dendrophis, part., Wagler, Syst. Amph. (1830) 182; Schlegel, 



Phys. Serp. 2 (1837) 220; Dumeril and Bibron, Erp. Gen. 7 



(1854) 193; Gunthee, Cat. Col. Snakes (1858) 148; Kept. Brit. 



India (1864) 296; Jan, Elenco Sist. Ofid. (1863) 85. 



"Maxillary teeth 20 to 33, the posterior more or less enlarged, 

 stouter if not longer than the rest; anterior mandibular teeth 

 longest. Head distinct from neck, more or less elongate; eye 

 large, with round pupil. Body elongate, more or less com- 

 pressed; scales smooth, in 13 or 15 rows, narrow, disposed 

 obliquely, with apical pits, those of the vertebral row more or 

 less enlarged; ventrals with a suture-like lateral keel and a 

 notch on each side, corresponding to the keel. Tail long; sub- 

 caudals in two rows, keeled and notched like the ventrals." 

 (Boulenger.) 



