OPHIDIA. 813 



Coloration : olive-brown above, with broad, dark-brown, black-edged transverse 

 bands, each margined externaUy by a pale yellowish-brown luie ; 20 in the larger 

 and 17 in the lesser example. These bands do not pass on to the ventral 

 or sub-caudal shields. A black line through the centre of the frontals, vertical 

 and occipitals ; a black line from the eye to the first transverse band. Two narrow 

 black longitudinal dorsal lines connecting the last eleven bands. Some of the 

 transverse bands near the end of the body and those on the tail are resolved into 

 large lateral spots with the same distribution of colour as in the bands. 



The specimen obtained at Hotha presents a few variations from the preceding. 

 The vertical is somewhat longer ; the superciliary margin being only one-fifth less 

 than the greatest breadth. The loreal is small and elongated. The preocular is 

 broadly separated from the vertical. Two postoculars on one side and only one on 

 the other ; in the latter case the occipital takes the place of the upper postocular. 

 The temporal is in contact with the inferior postocular only. Seven upper labials 

 on one side, six on the other, the former on the side where there is only one post- 

 ocular ; the thu'd and fourth labials enter the eye on this side ; and on the other, 

 only the elongated tliird labial forms the lower margin of the orbit. The color- 

 ation the same as the type. 



This example measures, total length 28 inches ; head 0"95 ; gape 0*33 ; tail 4" 25. 

 Ventrals 192 ; sub-caudals 54. Scales in 19 rows. Dentition 16 -f- 16 = 32 and 

 16 -}- 16 = 32. 



This species which has as yet been recorded only from the Khasia Hills, from 

 Assam, and from Darjeeling, and now from the high country of Yunnan, would 

 appear to be exclusively a hill form. 



Genus El aphis, Dum. & Bib. 

 Elaphis tunnanensis, n. s. 



This snake, of which I captured three individuals at Momien, is closely allied to 

 U. tceniurus, Cope, but from the circumstances that my specimens have only 23 rows 

 of scales on the body and as many as from 252 to 258 ventral shields, and that the 

 coloration of the trunk differs from that of B. tceniurus, I am constrained to separate 

 it from that species rather than to indicate it as a variety. If any of these speci- 

 mens had approximated to the lesser number of ventral shields in U. tceumrtis, and 

 to the greater number of body scales, and had the verticals had the same form, 

 I certainly would not have separated them. 



The anal shield in one of these specimens is entire, thus conforming to one of 

 the characters of the genus (Jompsosoma, and indeed so strong are some of the 

 resemblances of these snakes to that genus, that the consideration suggests itself 

 whether valid grounds exist for separating Elaphis and Gompsosoma. 



Head distinct from neck ; elongated, narrow, and somewhat pointed. Eye 

 moderately large, with a round pupil. Eostral broader than high. Anterior frontals 



