384 



PTTHONID^. 



Rostral just reaching the upper surface of the head. One loreal, one 

 anterior ocular in contact with the vertical and third labial ; two post- 

 oculars. Snout broad, much depressed, long, spatulate. Upper lip swol- 

 len, without canthus rostralis. Anterior frontals small, posterior longer 

 than broad. A lateral notch between the anterior and posterior frontals . 

 in which the inner anterior angle of the loreal is received. Nostril 

 small, directed upwards, and situated between two nasals. Nine upper 

 labials, the third, fourth, and fifth entering the orbit. Temporals many, 

 and scale-like. Scales 3, smooth, in 1 7 rows, with a minute apical groove. 

 Abdomen and tail with an angular ridge on each side. Ventrals 183-209. 

 Anal bifid or entire; sub-caudals 57-77. Each maxillary with two fangs 

 in front, in a transverse line. 



Colour variable, uniform brown or greyish above, with or without a 

 white collar, and reticulated white cross bands. 



Hah. — Sind, and the whole of India and Ceylon. Specimens in the 

 Kurrachee Museum are from Kurrachee, Sehwan, Poena, Bombay and 

 Madras. Attains to a length of 26 inches. 



liycodon striatus, Russell, Ind. Serp. i. pi. 16; Gunth. Rep. Brit. 

 India, p. 318 ; Theob. Rep. Brit. Ind. p. 199. Coluber striatus, Shaw, 

 Zool. iii. p. 527. 



Snout much depressed, rather broad, and of moderate length. Tipper 

 lip not swollen, and without canthu^ rostralis. Rostral low, not twice 

 as broad as high, slightly bent on the upper surface of the snout. 

 Anterior frontals small, half as large as posterior; posterior as broad 

 as long. Vertical not elongate. Occipitals small, scarcely longer than 

 the vertical. Nostril small, lateral, between two nasals. Loreal one, twice 

 as long as high. Prse-ocular one, in contact with the third labial, but 

 not with the vertical. Two post-oculars. Eight upper labials, the third, 

 fourth and fifth entering the orbit. Dentition same as L. aulicus. 

 Scales smooth, with a minute apical groove in seventeen rows. Abdo- 

 men and tail without lateral ridge. Ventrals 167-174; anal bifid- 

 sub-caudals 46-48. Colour brown or black, with oi* without a whitish 

 collar ; body and tail with white cross bands, or a vertebral series of 

 white spots. 



Hab. — Sind (Kurrachee) Punjab, N. W, Provinces, Oudh, Deccan 

 (Poena) Madras and Bombay. 



Family, PYTHONID^. 

 Rock Snakes. 



Body and tail of moderate length. Size large. Tail prehensile. 

 Head depressed. Snout truncated or rounded in front. Eye moderate ; 

 pupil vertical. Scales smooth, in numerous series. Sub-caudals two- 

 rowed. Some of the labials pitted. Teeth in the intermaxillary, maxil- 

 lary, palatine, pterygoid and mandibular bones of unequal size ; none 

 grooved. A spur-like prominence on each side of vent, indicative of a 

 rudimentary limb. 



