54 VENOMS 



III. Scales in 21—27 rows; 160—218 ventrals; 54—92 sub 

 caudals ; tail not or scarcely prehensile. 



(6) L. jerdonii. — 7 — 9 scales in a line between the supraocular 

 shields ; scales in 21 or 23 rows ; 164 — 188 ventrals ; 54 — 67 

 subcaudals. 



Coloration greenish-yellow or olive above, mixed with black, 

 a dorsal series of reddish-brown transverse rhomboidal spots ; 

 upper lip yellow, with one or two black spots ; belly yellow, more 

 or less marbled with black. 



Total length, 930 milhmetres ; tail 145. 



Habitat : Assam, Tibet, Upper Yang-tse. 



(7) L. mucrosquamatus. — 10 — 15 scales in a line between the 

 supraocular shields ; scales in 25 — 27 rows ; 183 — 218 ventrals ; 

 72 — 92 subcaudals. Colour brownish-grey above, with a series 

 of large black median spots and smaller ones on the sides ; a black 

 streak from the eye to the angle of the mouth ; belly brownish, 

 spotted with white. 



Total length, 1,050 millimetres ; tail 210. 

 Habitat: Formosa, Assam. 



(8) L. luteus. — 12 or 13 scales in a hne between the supraocular 

 shields ; scales in 23 — 25 rows ; 182 — 186 ventrals ; 72 — 74 sub- 

 caudals ; supraocular shields large. 



Colour yellow above, with a series of dark rhomboidal spots, 

 and a dorsal, black-spotted zigzag band ; a black streak on each 

 side of the head behind the eyes ; belly yellowish, spotted with grey. 



Total length, 945 millimetres ; tail 164. 



Habitat : Loo Choo Islands. 



(9) L. purpureomaculatus. — 12 — 15 scales in a hne between the 

 supraocular shields ; scales in 25 — 27 rows ; ventrals 160 — 182 ; 

 subcaudals 55 — 76 ; supraocular shield very narrow, sometimes 

 broken up. 



Coloration purplish-black above, sometimes variegated with pale 

 green ; flanks pale green ; belly olive or greenish-white, uniform 

 or spotted with black. Some specimens are entirely green. 



