1847.] Malayan Peninsula and Islands. 045 



where it feeds on fishes. The young ones are very gentle, and 

 the old but seldom bite. In their movements they are sluggish, and 

 on dry land, very awkward. The female brings forth six or eight living- 

 young at the time, each between 7 and 8 inches in length. 



Hypsirhina, Wagler. Resembling Homalopsis in the form and 

 situation of the nostrils, the integuments and general appearance of the 

 head, trunk, and tail ; but the dorsal scales are smooth, and the labials 

 are square, equal ; (frenal, one.) 



Homalopsis sieboldi, Schelgel. 

 Syn.— Seba, II, Tab. 46, Fig. 2? 



Young. Ground colour, white, which on the upper part of the head 

 appears in the shape of two lines diverging from the muzzle over the 

 eyes to the sides of the head. From each side of the vertical shield a 

 line diverging towards the hind head, where it branches in two, send- 

 ing a portion transversely to the throat, and another to the upper part 

 of the neck joining under an angle that of the opposite side. On the 

 trunk and tail the ground colour shows itself as numerous narrow, 

 transversal bands, which on the centre are frequently interrupted and 

 placed in quincunx series ; on the sides the bands are bipartite. The 

 intervals between the ground colour are chestnut with dark brown 

 edges. The lips and the abdominal surface white with numerous pale 

 brown irregular spots. Iris greyish with a transversal black bar; 

 pupil elliptical, tongue white.* 



Scuta 155, Scutella 48. 



Habit. — Malayan Peninsula. 

 Bengal. 

 The description is taken from a solitary young individual, which 

 was killed in Province Wellesley. It measured, 



* Adult.— A preserved specimen in the Museum of the Asiatic Society differs from 

 the young in having- the head above of a uniform colour, while the rest of the peculiar 

 design is retained. The ground colour is yellowish white ; the brown of the young is faded 

 to a dull lead grey.— Scuta 156, Scutella 55.— Dimensions : head 0| inch : trunk 1 ft. 8f 

 inch ; tail 3| inch = 2 ft. 1 inch. -Circumference of the neck, If, of the trunk, 2| , of the 

 root of the tail, If inch. The locality from whence this specimen was obtained, is no) 

 known : Bengal is given by M. Schlcgel. 



