1870.] Indian and Malayan Amphibia and Rcptilia. 219 



some indistinct large porphyraceous spots, upper lip and below 

 whitish with a greenish tinge ; lateral line sometimes indicated, 

 but usually not marked at all. 



Mr. B 1 y t h first pointed out the peculiar colouring of this species 

 as distinct from that of gramineus, to which he afterwards referred it 

 on account of the similar form in the shields of the head. In conse- 

 quence of the greater number of rows of scales, and their similar 

 form, the species has been considered byGriintheras identical with 

 carinatus ; but, setting aside coloration, the scales oiporphyraceus are 

 much narrower and more slender, and the ventrals are conspicuously 

 narrower and in a greater number present, the supraciliaries narrow, 

 the labials more numerous and the head a little less high than in 

 carinatus. The peculiar porphyraceous tint of the dull green colour 

 is very marked, and well preserved specimens can be readily distin- 

 guished by it from either gramineus or carinatus. The species seems 

 tolerably common on the Andamans about Port Blair. The specimens 

 marked b and c of T. carinatus in Theobal d's Cat. of Pept. 

 Asiatic Soc, Museum, p. 74, belong to porphyraceus, and probably 

 also those marked /, but they are not well preserved, one has only 

 23 rows of scales. 



79. Trimeresurus mutabilis, n. sp. PL XII, Fig. 5. 



Body slender ; head elongated, rather depressed, with the snout 

 moderately narrowed and rounded, equal to about one-twentieth of 

 the total length ; tail strongly prehensile and short, being one- sixth 

 or one-seventh (or even less than that) of the total length. 



Scales in 21 series, subquadrangular, slightly keeled, posteriorly 

 obtusely pointed; ventrals from 156-167 ; anal entire; subcaudals 

 48-62 ; last scale large conical ; head covered with small, sub- 

 equal flattened smooth scales, one azygous shield between a 

 pair of supranasals, supraciliaries narrow and long ; sometimes 

 divided in two parts ; a single long infraocular extending posterior- 

 ly, leaving room only for two or three small postoculars ; upper 

 labials 9-10, the first is in all the specimens examined united to 

 the nasal, the separation being only indicated by a groove ; the 

 second is narrow, usually single, and generally forms the front of 

 the facial pit, but sometimes it is divided into two shields ; in the 





