240 APPENDIX II 
is a light brownish grey; trunk crossed by thirteen, tail by four narrow, 
equidistant, black cross-bars; these are somewhat broader on the back 
than on the sides, and indistinctly edged with white. A black band from 
eye to eye and continued over the fifth and sixth labials. The black, 
arrow-shaped spot on the neck is well-defined. Abdomen with numerous 
square black spots, each occupying one-half or the whole of a ventral 
seute. Subcaudals uniform white. 
One young specimen measures 8} inches, the tail being 2 inches long. 
12. Achalinus rufescens (Blgr.). One specimen, uniformly black, 
from Ichang. ° 
18. Ablabes chinensis, sp. n. 
This species belongs to that group of the genus of which Ablabes 
melanocephalus is the type; it comes nearest to Ablabes hwmberti, 
having, like that species, ten upper labial shields, the eighth of which is 
excluded from the labial margin. But it differs by having a longer tail 
and by its less ornamented coloration. 
Scales in seventeen rows. One preocular, two postoculars. The 
occipital does not touch the lower postocular ; ,temporals 1 + 2, the anterior 
in contact with both postoculars. Ventrals 182; of the tail nearly one- 
half has been lost, the mutilated part being protected by fifty-three pairs 
of subcaudals, so that the whole number may be estimated to have been 
between eighty and ninety. Upper. parts nearly uniform brownish grey, 
the posterior part of the trunk indistinctly showing a series of whitish 
spots along each side of the back. No black dots along the vertebral line. 
The black cross bands between the eyes and on the neck are present as in 
Ablabes humbertt and Ablabes collaris, but much less distinct. Abdomen 
white, each ventral shield with a black dot on each side. 
One specimen was found by Mr. Pratt at Ichang; its trunk measures 
fifteen inches, and its tail was probably 5} inches in length. 
14. Coluber rufo-dorsatus (Cant.). Common in the vicinity of 
Kiu-kiang. | 
15. _Blaphis dione (Pall.). oem of Kiu-kiang. 
16. " Elaphis sauromates (Pall). Common near Kiu-kiang. Mr. 
Boulenger has discovered that Phyllophis carinata (Gthr.) 
is the young of this species. 
17. oe Ys hewitt (Gants). Common near Kiu-kiang. 
18. Ptyas korros (Reinw). One specimen from Kiu-kiang. 
