1847. | Malayan Peninsula and Islands. 027 



scales are keeled. M. Schlegel's short description and figure (PI. XI, 

 29, 30) appear to have been taken from an immature specimen. 



The preceding four species are very fierce, their mode of attack is 

 that of Lycodon aulicus. Kuhl has observed vibrating movements in 

 the tail of Dipsas multimaculata, which however are also exhibited by 

 Dipsas trigonata (Schneider), (Col. catenularies, Daudin,) — D. cy- 

 nodon, Cuvier, and among the venomous serpents, by Vipera i*usselli y 

 (Shaw) and several Asiatic species of Trigonocepthalus, when they are 

 irritated and preparing to bite. 



Gen. Herpetodryas, H. Boie. 



Head trigonal, very long, depressed, smooth, rather sharp ; trunk 



and tail very elongated ; scales, particularly those of the tail, large ; 



those of the back partially carinate ; in other respects resembling 



Coluber. 



Herpetodryas oxycephalic, (Reinwardt.) 



Syn. — Coluber oxycephalus, Reinwardt. 

 Gonyosoma viride, Wagler. 

 Herpetodryas oxycephalus, apud Schlegel. 



Head above shining dark-green with a blackish straight line from 

 the nostrils to the angle of the mouth ; lips and throat pale yellowish 

 green ; trunk sea-green changing to light yellowish green on the lower 

 part of the sides, all the scales with black edges ; the anterior half of 

 the tail, separated from the trunk by a transversal orange band, ochre, 

 gradually changing to greyish brown on the posterior half, all the 

 scales edged with black. Abdominal scuta light yellowish green with 

 pale yellow edges ; subcaudal scutella grey with black margins. Eyes 

 moderate, little prominent ; iris pale sea-green with a narrow pale yellow 

 inner ring and a transversal black band ; pupil circular, black. Tongue 

 ultramarine, divided in the middle by a black longitudinal line. The 

 exposed part of the larynx black. 



Scuta 268, Scutella 149. 



Habit. — Pinang. 



Java, Celebes. 

 The shields of the head are elongated, most so the linear frenal. 

 The teeth are numerous ; in each row the anterior six or eight are 



