Catalogue of Reptiles. 63 



CERCASPIS, Wagler. 

 C. carinata, Kulil. Ceylon. 



FAMILY AMBLYCEPHALIDiE. 



AMBLYCEPHALUS, Kuiil. (sp.) 

 A. Boa, Kuhl ? Pinang. 



P AREAS, Wagler. 



P. Bcrdmorei, Theobald. 



Aplopeltura boa. Schl, apud Bhjtli. The adult. 

 Pareas macidarius, BJtjlh. The young. 



This is a very singular snake. The young is totally unlike the 

 adult, and has been described by Blyth, and referred to another genus, 

 and the adult erroneously referred to ApX&peltwra (Ambtycephahtsj 

 The snake, however, is not Ambtycephahis, as it has divided sub-caudals, 

 but one loreal, and 15 rows of scales, and as it clearly tends to unite 

 the two genera ; is a distinct species, which, to prevent confusion of 

 synonyms, I have given a fresh name to. It approaches Ambtyce- 

 phalus in the eye being separated from the upper labials, and in the form 

 of the head which, however, is only characteristic of the adult. 



Adult. Body strongly compressed, scales smooth, in fifteen rows or 

 faintly keeled on the back. Head high quadrate, blunt, pug-nosed, 

 Eye large, Pupil vertical. Rostral high, not reaching the surface of 

 head, deeply excavated below. Nasal large single, high, with nostril 

 pierced behind, upper labials 6 or 7, anterior ones high narrow. Eye 

 surrounded beneath with 5, 6, or 7 small shields, excluding the labials 

 from orbit. Loreal one, rather small. Frontals subequal, anterior 

 smallest. Superciliaries large, as large as posterior frontal fully. Vertical 

 and Occipitals normal, nearly equal in size. Lower Labials 8, very 

 narrow, 3 pair large transverse gular shields. The 1st forms a suture 

 with the 4 front labials. Anal entire, Sub-caudals divided. 



In the young. (Pareas macular! us, Blyth.) The shields of the head 

 are rather irregular. The anterior frontals are very small. In one 

 the vertical is an equilateral rhomboid from the straightening of the 

 sides. The posterior Frontal enters the orbit in some. The Super- 

 ciliary is large and enters a notch between the Vertical and Occipitals. 

 Occipitals extremely large. Seventh upper labial very long. The 

 labials and additional oculars and peculiar gular shields as in the adult. 

 Anal entire ; sub-caudals divided. 



a. two adults. Tenasserim. Major Berdmore. 



Color uniform ochraceous, with obsolete traces of vertical bands 

 down the body. Two converging dark lines on the nape, and traces of 

 a white collar in one specimen. Belly white. 



Body 195, tail 4.5 = 24.0 inches, 



