218 



C0LUBKID2E. 



a trace of a yellowish median line ; the anterior spot is produced 

 angularly to the posterior border of the frontal ; the rest of the 

 upper surface of the head speckled with dark brown ; tail with a 

 yellow vertebral line ; an irregular series of small blackish spots 

 along each abdominal edge, the lower surfaces being otherwise 

 immaculate. 



Total length 560 millim. ; tail 65. 



Southern India. 



a. ? (V. 193; 0.41). Wynad. Col. Beddome [C.]. (Type.) 



2. Simotes purpurascens. 



Xenodon purpurascens, Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 90, pi. iii. figs. 13 & 



14 (1837), arecf Abbild. p. 47, -pi. xiv, (1844); Cantor, Cat. Med. 



Rept. p. 67 (1847). 

 Simotes trinotatua, Dian. ^ Bibr. vii. p. 631 (1854) ; Oiinth. Bept. 



Brit. Ind. -p. 219 (1864). 



albocinctus (non Cant.), Bum. ^ Bibr. p. 633, pi. Ixxxii. fig. 1. 



Calamaria brachyorrhos (non Schleg.), Motl. df Dillw. Nat. Hist. Lab. 



p. 49, pi. — (1855). 

 Simotes purpurascens, var. C, Giintk. Cat. p. 25 (1858). 

 purpurascens, Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 1862, p. 235, and 



Icon. Q4n. 12, pi. v. fig. 2 (1865) ; Bouleng. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1890, 



p. 34 ; V. Lidth de Jeude, Notes Leyd. Mus. xii. 1890, p. 255. 



labuanensis, Oiinth. Bept. Brit. Ind. p. 217. 



catenifer, Stoliceka, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xlii. 1873, p. 121, 



pi. xi. fig. 3. 



deimyei, Blanf. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1881, p. 218, pi. xxi. fig. 1. 



affinis, Fischer, Abh. naturio. Ver. Hamb. ix. 1885, p. 4, pi. i. 



fig. 1. 



Nasal divided ; portion of rostral seen from above as long as its 

 distance from the frontal ; suture between the internasals as long 

 as or longer than that between the prsefrontals ; frontal large, 

 considerably longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as 

 long as or longer than the parietals ; loreal as long as deep ; one 

 or two praeoculars, with one or two suboculars below ; two or three 

 postoculars ; temporals 2 + 3 or 2 + 2 ; usually eight upper labials, 

 fourth and fifth entering the eye, or fourth excluded by the second 

 subocular ; four or five lower labials in contact with the anterior 

 chin-shields, which are about twice as long as the posterior. Scales 

 in 19 or 21 rows. Ventrals 160-210, angulate laterally; anal 

 entire ; subcaudals 40-60. Brown above, with darker, black-edged 

 sinuous transverse bands, or with yellowish black-edged cross bars ; 

 a large arrow-headed dark-brown marking on the occiput and nape, 

 with the apex on the frontal and usually confluent with a dark- 

 brown chevron-shaped transverse band passing through the eyes ; a 

 dark oblique temporal streak ; belly yellowish, with square blackish 

 spots, which may be confined to the sides. 



Total length 680 millim. ; tail 110. 



S. China, Cochinchina, Siam, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, 

 Java. , 



