188 Indian and Malayan Amphibia and Reptilia. [No. 3, 



tympanoid cross streak ; sides of the body marked with indistinct 

 vertically elongated whitish spots, margined with dark, and continu- 

 ing up to the anal region, but disappearing on the tail. 



44. Compsosoma melanurum, S c h 1 e g. (G u n t h. 1. cit. p. 244). 

 A fine specimen measuring 55 inches (of which tail is only 7 inch.) 



was collected by Mr. Homfray on the Andaman islands. The 

 general colour is uniform brown with some interrupted dark bands on 

 the anterior half of the body, the posterior half of which is uniform 

 blackish brown ; throat pale yellowish ; no trace of a dorsal longi- 

 tudinal band is present. The single large ante- and the two 

 small post-oculars are granulated, the former more distinctly than 

 the latter ; the temporals are 2 + 3, much elongated ; the other 

 shields of the head and the markings on the sides of the head nor- 

 mal. Scales in 19 rows, elongately rhombic, the dorsal ones strong- 

 ly keeled, the three outer rows one each side almost perfectly 

 smooth ; ventrals 235 ; anal entire, subcaudals 60, tip of tail trun- 

 cate, having been apparently once slightly injured. 



45. Compsosoma semifasciata, Bl y th, sp. PL XI, Fig. 2. 



Platyceps scmifasciatus, B ] y t h, Journ. Asiat. Soc. B., 1861, vol. XXIX, 

 p. 114.— G u n t h. loc. cit. p. 237. 



Coluber id., apud Theobald, Cat. of Rept. Asiat. Soc. B., 1868, p. 52. 



A young but perfect specimen was obtained by my collector in the 

 lower hills about Subathoo, south of Simla ; it measures 11^ inches, 

 of which the tail is three ; scales smooth, in 19 rows, each with two 

 minute apical grooves. Head distinct from neck, large and remark- 

 ably depressed ; rostral broad at the base, deeply indented, only 

 half as wide above than at its base, rounded and reaching to the top 

 of the head ; anterior frontals about two thirds the size of the pos- 

 terior ; vertical five-sided, straight in front, with concave sides and 

 a rectangle posteriorly, the two sides forming it being the shortest ; 

 supraorbitals large and obtusely pointed in front, a little shorter 

 than the vertical ; occipitals very large, each about one-third longer 

 and in proportion also broader than the vertical ; nostril between 

 two rather large nasals ; loreal moderate with the lower hind angle 

 pointed ; two anteoculars, the upper large, reaching to the top of the 



