1870.] Meptilia and Amphibia from Central India. 373 



24. Dendrophis picta, (Gr m.) 



A single specimen procured has 196 ventral and 135 subcaudal 

 shields, the number of the former being considerably greater than 

 usual. The coloration is also a little different from that given by 

 Gr u n t h e r. The whole of the upper surface in brown, paler in 

 the middle of the back. Ventral portion white with a slight 

 dusky band along each side just about the edges of the ventral 

 scales. Some black irregular spots on each side behind the head. 



Loc. Jashpur, W. of Chota Nagpur. 



25. Passerita mycterizans, (L.) 



A specimen 44 inches long is a female containing 4 large eggs. 

 Ventrals 194, subcaudals 148. 



Loc. Korba, Bilaspur. This is I fancy nearly as far to the 

 westward as it is found in Central India. I have never noticed it 

 near Nagpur, in Berar, or in the western portion of the Nerbudda 

 valley. In Bengal and Orissa it is one of the commonest snakes. 

 It is also found in the western ghats near Bombay,* P. Z. S. 1869, 

 p. 502. 



26. Lycodon atjeictjs, (L). 



The only specimen obtained belongs to the var SofGunther's 

 Peptiles, ferruginous brown with yellowish white cross bands on 

 the back. Ventrals 205, subcaudals 66. 



Loc. Udipur, west of Chota Nagpur. 



27. Naja triptjdians, Merr. 



All the specimens I have seen in the Chanda and Nagpur coun- 

 try as well as those in Berar and throughout the Deccan have the 



* I would here call attention to the evidence afforded by the list of reptilia 

 17 c. collected by Dr. L e i t h of the occurrence of Malabar forms of Reptiles 

 in the hills near Bombay. Amongst the species enumerated from Mahablesh- 

 war and Matheran are Gymnodactylus deccanensis, Calotes Rouxii, Silybura, 

 macrolepis, Cynophis malabaricus, Trimeresurus gramineus (an Indo-Chinese 

 form) and Hylorana malabarica. With the exception of Calotes, I am not 

 sure that any of the above genera even have been found in the Deccan proper, 

 that is, the open country between the Western Ghats and Nagpur. S y k e s 

 did not distinguish the two well marked faunas on the edge of which he col- 

 lected. I have already shewn (J. A. S.B. 1869 Pt. II, pp. 178 and 184 &c.) that 

 many Malabar birds range northward along the Western Ghats in the same 

 manner as the reptiles are now proved to do, and as is the case with land- 

 shells. 



