PSEUDORHABDIUM 177 



The former group has a broad black band behind the eye 

 which continues some distance on the neck and then disappears ; 

 the outer row of scales and the outer edges of the ventrals are 

 black, thus forming a ragged-edged stripe; above this is a 

 yellowish green stripe lighter than the lateral body color. The 

 skin between scaL-s is largely black, and many of the scales 

 are edged with black. 



The latter group has the black stripe behind the eye which 

 continues to some distance on the neck where it disappears, 

 usually to reappear as a narrow black line above the lateral 

 yellow-green line on the posterior two-thirds of the body; the 

 dark edges of the scales form 8 longitudinal lines, most of which 

 are very distinct, and some of them continue on tail. 



Due to the fact that the scale formulse are practically the 

 same in the two groups I do not believe they should be re- 

 garded worthy of subspecific distinction. 



Remarks. — The species is known in the Philippines from 

 Mindanao, Samar, Polillo, Negros, Bantayan, Banton, Siquijor, 

 Ticao, Luzon, and Camiguin. It is an arboreal species. Out- 

 side the Philippines it is known in Celebes. 



Genus PSEUDORHABDIUM Boulenger 



Rabdion, part., Dumeril and Bibron, Mem. Ac. Sci. 23 (1853) 441, 

 and Erp. Gen. 7 (1854) 115; Casto de Elera, Cat. Fauna Fili- 

 pinas 1 (1895) 426. 

 Pseudorahdion jAN, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. 2 (1862) 10. 

 Oxijcalamus Gunther, Kept. Brit. India (1864) 199; Boettger, Ber. 

 Senck. Nat. Ges. (1886) 105; Casto de Elera, Cat. Fauna Fili- 

 pinas 1 (1895) 425. 

 Rhahdion Boettger, Ber. Senck. Nat. Ges. (1886) 106. 

 Pseudorhahdium Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus. 2 (1894) 328; 

 Griffin, Philip. Journ. Sci. § D 6 (1911) 261; Taylor, Philip. 

 Journ. Sci. § D 12 (1917) 362. 

 Maxillary teeth, 10 to 12, subequal; anterior mandibulary 

 teeth slightly longer than posterior; head not distinct from 

 neck; eye small, with round pupil; nosti'il pierced in a minute 

 nasal; internasals small; loreal present or absent; preocular 

 small or absent ; no anterior temporals, parietals in contact with 

 labials; body cylindrical; scales smooth, without apical pits, 

 in 15 rows; ventrals rounded; tail short; subcaudals in 2 rows. 



Key to the species of Pseudorhahdium Boulenger. 



a'. No loreal present. 



b\ Frontal longer than broad; preocular usually present; supraocular 

 small P. longiceps (Cantor) (p. 178). 



161466—12 



