1870.] Indian and Malayan Amphibia and Reptilia. 183 



OPHIDIA. 



Fam. Tortmcid^e. 



36. Gylindrophis rufus, Laur. (Gr ii n t h., 1. cit. p. 179). 



I have obtained specimens of this species from the hills north- 

 east of Mandalay in upper Burma ; it has already been record- 

 ed from Pegu by Mr. Theobald. The snout is sometimes con- 

 siderably shorter in young specimens than it is in old ones and, 

 therefore, its length in proportion to the width between the eyes is 

 not a very good character for specific distinction, when compared 

 with G. maculatus. 



Fam. Colubrid^e. 



37. Ablabes melanocephalus, Gray (G ii n t h., 1. cit. p. 229). 



I caught a specimen of this interesting species in the (so-called) 

 botanic garden at Singapore. It measures I7f inches, of which 

 the tail is 7| inches, a remarkably great length of the tail for an 

 Ablabes/ Ventrals 155, subcaudals 99, the last being as usually 

 single, very much elongated and pointed. The distribution of the 

 shields of the head perfectly agrees with Giinther's descrip- 

 tion, and so does also the general character of colouring. The 

 head is black, minutely freckled with white above, the upper labials 

 white spotted with black at the lower margins and at the sutures ; the 

 white band continues a little beyond the gape, but is interrupted by 

 a black spot on the 10th labial. The anterior half of the body is 

 above brownish, the posterior blackish ashy ; a pale brown somewhat 

 indistinct band begins on either side of the back, behind the black 

 collar, and is marked by a series of quadrangular equidistant black 

 spots ; it becomes a little more whitish on the posterior part of the 

 body, and then the spots disappear. Lower parts whitish throughout; 

 chin checkered with dark, each ventral with a black spot on either 

 side ; the spots, beginning to appear on the lower part of the neck, 

 are first very small, increase gradually in size, until they form 

 on the posterior part of the body a very distinct continuous strong- 

 ly serrated black band. 



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