DOLIOPHIS 277 



subcaudals in females ; the body measurements also vary, the tail 

 in the females being shorter, and the body longer, than those in 

 equal-sized males. 



The color varies from black to reddish brown above ; below, 

 from yellow orange to red. The spot on the head is reddish. 

 The dotted line on the outer row of scales may be present or 

 absent. 



Two other species, nonpoisonous, occurring in Palawan have 

 practically the same general coloration as the species above. 

 These are Polyodoritophis bivittatus and Dryocalamus philippinus. 

 These two species may be readily recognized by the long slender 

 tail and the absence of markings on belly. In Busuanga Dolio- 

 phis hilmeatus is called odto-odto or oro-odto and is regarded as 

 being deadly poisonous. These names are also applied to the 

 two harmless snakes mentioned above. 



When disturbed or injured the snake turns up the end of its 

 tail showing the brilliant red markings on the underside of the 

 tail, and then writhes about, sometimes jumping, throwing the 

 body from the ground, sometimes turning over on its back and 

 continuing its aimless gyrations. 



The species is known from Busuanga, Palawan, and Balabac in 

 the Palawan Group, where it appears common. 



Boulenger reports a specimen from Mindanao. Certainly it 

 is rare in the last-mentioned place. It is coniined to the Philip- 

 pines. 



DOLIOPHIS PHILIPPINUS (Giinther) 



Plate 35, figs. 1 and 2 



Elaps intestinalis var. GtJNTHER, Cat. Col. Snakes (1858) 2.30. 

 Callophis intestinalis Gunthek, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1859) 82, pi. 16 fig. A. 

 Callophis intestinalis var. pliilippinn Gunther, Rept. Brit. India 



(1864) 349. 

 Adeniophis philippinus Meyer, Sitzb. Ber. Ak. Wiss. Berlin 36 (1886) 



614; BOETTGER, Ber. Senck. Nat. Ges. (1886) 117; Casto de Elera, 



Cat. Fauna Filipinas 1 (1895) 441. 

 Doliophis phili'ppinus BoEXENGER, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus. 3 (1896) 



404; Griffin, Philip. .Journ. Sci. § D 6 (1911) 266; Taylor, Philip. 



Journ. Sci. § D 13 (1918) 261. 



Description of s-pecies. — (From No. -54, E. H. Taylor collection; 

 collected at Bunawan, Agusan, Mindanao, November 12, 1912, by 

 E. H. Taylor.) (Adult male.) Head small, not distinct from 

 neck; rostral wider than deep, the portion visible from above a 

 mere line, forming its narrowest suture with labial; internasals 

 less than one-third the size of prefrontals, their mutual suture 

 shortest; prefrontals in contact with posterior nasal and the 



