OPHIDIA. 817 



1853, p. 530; Giinth., Cat. Col. Sn., 1858, p. 68; Kept. B. Ind., 1864, p. 266; Theobald 

 Joum. Linn. See, 1868, p. 47 ; id., Descr. Cat. Kept. Brit. Ind., 1876, p. 177; Stol., Journ 

 As. Soc, Bengal, vol. xxxix, 1870, pp. 141, 191; Anders.; Joum. As. Soc, Bengal, vol. xl, 

 1871, p. 34; Ferguson, Kept., Fauna, Ceylon, 1876, p. 20. 

 AmjiMesma stolatum, Dum. & Bibr., Esp., Gen., 1854, vol. vii, p. 727; Jan, Canestr. Arch. Zoo). 

 vol. iii, 1864, p. 233. 



This specimen agrees in every respect mth Indian examples of the species, with 

 the exception that the light-coloured longitudinal hands are olive-brown instead of 

 white or yellow, hut becoming white spots on the transverse black bands. 



Ventrals 147. 



No other specimen came under my notice besides this one which was obtained 

 at Bham6. On the high land beyond that town its place seems to be taken by 

 the next species. 



Tropidonotus modestus, Giinther. 



Trqpidonotus modestus, Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1875, March 16th, p. 232. 



A comparison of a large series of this species from Cherra Poonjee, Khasia HUls, 

 and examples from Western Yunnan, with the types in the British Museum, 

 enables me somewhat to extend the original characters given by Giinther. 



Head narrow, distinct from neck, rather anteriorly tapering and flat above ; 

 snout of moderate length, rather pointedly rounded. Eyes moderate. Scales very 

 feebly keeled on the sides in the females, but more pronouncedly on the back ; 

 scales of the male generally strongly keeled, the tips of the scales near the end of 

 the trunk, and on the tail, being somewhat divided. Scales in 19 rows. Prefrontal 

 subtriangular, somewhat pointed or rounded anteriorly. Postfrontals transversely 

 elongated. Vertical of moderate size, lateral margins nearly parallel in some, and 

 rather strongly convergent in others. Hinder portion generally acutely pointed. 



Gccipitals as long as the vertical and postfrontals, obliquely or transversely 

 truncated behind in some, rounded in others. Loreal oblong or nearly square. One 

 or two preoculars, the upper reaching to the surface of the head, but not touching 

 the vertical. Two or three postoculars. Temporals 1+2-1-2 or 2-h2 + l. The 

 anterior in contact with the postoculars. Nine upper labials, the 4tli, 5th and 6th 

 entering the orbit. Two pairs of elongated chin-shields, the hinder pair the longest 

 and divergent. The anterior pair in contact with five labials. Twelve closely set 

 teeth on each side of the upper jaw, increasing in size from before backwards ; the 

 last tooth large, and at a shghtly longer interval from the preceding tooth than the 

 latter is from the tooth before it. Ventrals 154 to 168. Sub-caudals 82 to 122. 

 In the only male examined, all the sub-caudals were entire without exhibiting any 

 tendency to division, and they were reduced in number to 82, whereas in the females 

 the lowest number of these plates was 96. The non-division of the sub-caudals, 

 although a remarkable circumstance, can only be regarded in the light of an acci- 

 dental variation, for there can be no doubt of the specific identity of this male with 

 the females, although it differs from them in having strongly keeled scales which, on 



g5 



