200 Indian and Malayan Amphihia and Heptilia. [No. 2, 



to be a little longer than in that species. In the figured specimen the 

 nasals are markedly long, and the loreal touches on both sides the 

 orbit with its posterior lower angle, reducing the anterior anteocu- 

 lar to a considerably small size ; this is, however, evidently not the 

 rule, for in B 1 y t h ' s original specimen, the loreal is of a normal 

 shape, though the posterior lower angle is greatly prolonged; 

 on the right side it does not reach the orbit, on the left it does, 

 however, touch it ; on the right side there is only one temporal, on 

 the left two narrow ones, touching the two postoculars. 



General colour light brown above, with a dorsal series of black 

 irregular spots, single on the neck, double and obliquely placed 

 on the body ; the sides are marked with short black bands which 

 in position alternate with the dorsal spots, and in addition to these 

 there are small black dots at the base of the ventrals, each 

 again corresponding to one dorsal spot. In B 1 y t h ' s original 

 specimen which is a young one, the intersjmces between the dorsal 

 black spots are yellowish white, which colour seems to disappear 

 with age. Head marbled with black above, with two not very 

 clearly defined subparallel blackish bands on the occipitals, one 

 single median on the neck, and one extending from the eye towards 

 and across the angle of the mouth ; the sutures between the upper 

 labials and parts of the lower labials are black. Lower parts 

 greenish white, all ventrals minutely freckled with black, and each 

 with one irregular larger black spot on either side. 



The coloration of this species appears sufficiently characteristic 

 to distinguish it from D. trigonata, in which the lateral bands are 

 confluent with the dorsal, or in fact the latter only extend partially 

 to the sides ; but I cannot see what difference there exists between 

 multifasciata and D. Ceylonensis, Gr ii n t h„ (1. cit. p. 314) ; the 

 coloration of both seems almost identical, only in the latter species 

 the head is apparently shorter, and the preocular larger, almost 

 reaching to the vertical. 



Fam. Lycodontidte. 

 59. Lycodon striatus Shaw. (Gr ii n t h., 1. cit. p. 318). 

 One specimen, obtained by my collector in the lower hills about 

 Simla, measures 15£ inches, of which the tail is 3^; ventrals 182, 



