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MAJOR P. WALL, I.M.S., C.M.Z.S. 



ABC 

 Fig. 58. — Distira jerdoni ( x 2). 



I believe Mr. Boulenger is in error in supposing Jerdon's specimen in the British 

 Museum the type (vide Catalogue, 1896, vol iii, p. 299). A specimen of this species 

 (No. 528) in the Royal College of Surgeons' Museum, L,ondon, collected by Russell, on 

 comparison with Russell's plate xii (Ind. Serp., vol. ii, 1801) leaves little doubt in my 

 mind is the original of the figure, and if my conviction is correct should be acknow- 

 ledged the type. 



I have examined 17 examples. It is so very well differentiated from all the other 

 species in the subfamily, and those of the genus to which it has been attached, that it 

 is one of the few snakes that has not been confused with other forms. The costal 

 rows (19 to 21) are fewer than in any other species of this genus. The infralabials 

 being three only are absolutely distinctive, and so is the peculiar turtle-like snout. 

 The descent of the large anterior temporal to the labial border is only seen in aberrant 

 examples of two or three other species. 



Description. — Body anteriorly from about one-half to two- thirds the greatest 

 depth posteriorly. 



Rostral, — the portion visible above is from three quarters, to equal to the 

 internasal suture. Prefrontals, — touch no supralabial. (In one they touch the 

 second on one side, and in another on both sides). Post oculars, — one (two in four 

 examples, three of which on one side only). Temporals, — confluent with sixth 

 supralabial to form a large shield. Often succeeded by another subequal shield. 

 Supralabials, — five anterior to the temporo-labial, the third and fourth touching 

 the eye. Infralabials, — three, the last touching two scales only behind, only the 

 first two in contact with the anterior sublinguals ; the suture between the first 

 subequal to or rather shorter than that between the anterior sublinguals. Mar- 

 ginals, — none. Sublinguals, — two rather poorly developed pairs, or only an 

 anterior pair. Sometimes a confluence between the anterior and posterior on one or 

 both sides occurs. Costals, — anterior 17 (16 in one, 18 in two examples), midbody 

 19 to 21, posterior 19 to 21 ; imbricate throughout. Ventrals, — 219 to 248 entire 

 everywhere, twice or hardly twice the breadth of the last costal row. 



Colour. — Olivaceous dorsally, yellowish ventrally. Surrounded by 31 to 41 black 

 bands, with usually an intermediate black spot or bar dorsally. In old specimens the 

 bands may become obscured ventrally, and be converted into bars. In a specimen in 



