196 DR. N. ANNANDALE ON" 



var. nov. anomalus. 



Agrees in coloration, proportions and scaling of the tail and body with the typical 

 variety, from which it only differs in the structure of the integument of the nasal appen- 

 dage. This is covered above by small scales somewhat larger than those in the same 

 position in D. pulverulentus. 



I was inclined to regard the specimen as a mere monstrosity until the Zoological 

 Gardens l at Alipur received an identical example from Lower Bengal a few weeks ago. 

 The variety can be distinguished readily from D. pulverulentus by its characteristic colora- 

 tion and by the fact that the rostral appendage is shorter than the eye. 



Naia tripudians. 



Common on Rameswarem Island and on the mainland. The specimens seen be- 

 longed to the forma typica of Boulenger's "Catalogue." This is the common form in 

 Madras, var. C. (fasciatus) being more abundant in Bengal. In the Malay Peninsula, 

 the latter variety is the least scarce in most parts of the Siamese States, while 

 in Selangor and at Singapore var. D. {sputatrix) is the prevalent if not the only form. 

 The yellowish variety without or with very faint markings which is apparently not uncom- 

 mon in Rhaman 2 and which appears to be represented by a specimen taken by Flower 3 in 

 Perak, seems to be near var. B. (cceca) but does not quite agree with any described in 

 the " Catalogue." Should it seem desirable to give it a name, it may be known as var. 

 aurea.* 



ECHIS CARINATUS. 



Three very small specimens were brought me at Mandapam. They agree in every 

 respect with those from Northern India. The species appears to be generally scarce in 

 Ramanad, but is said by native boys to be abundant in certain restricted localities. 



REPTILES COLLECTED BY THE SEISTAN ARBITRATION COMMISSION. 



In order to compare the herpetology of Ramanad with that of an inland desert 

 tract at the other extremity of India, I give below a list of the Reptiles obtained by 

 the recent Seistan Arbitration Commission under Sir A. H. McMahon. Unfortunately a 

 large number of the labels attached to the specimens have become illegible in spirit, 

 but all those which I have been able to read, indicate localities on one side or the other 

 of, but always in close proximity to, the Perso-Baluch frontier. A single specimen of 

 Ophiomorus tridadylus appears to be actually from Persian Seistan, but even this is not quite 

 clear. In any case it is improbable that there is any great difference between the herpet- 

 logical fauna of Persian Seistan and that of the north-western part of Baluchistan, which 



1 Rai R. B. Sainyal, Bahadur, tells me that in his long experience at the Gardens he has frequently noted this variety among 

 specimens of D. mycterizans from the Midnapur district of Bengal. (March 8th, 1906 — N. A.) 



2 Laidlaw, in Proc. Zool, Soc, 1901 (2), p. 580; Annandale, Fasc. Malay. Zool. I, p. 168 (note). 

 S Flower, in Proc. Zool. Soc, 1899, p. 691. 



* Since this was written an elaborate analysis of the distribution of different varieties of the Cobra in India has been 

 published by Col. Bannerman {Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. XVI, pp. 638-643). 



