185 
is to be soon on oithof sidc«, tboso bands nearly as broad as two von- 
trals do not melt together on the back but remain isolated. Some 
4 or 5 ventrals farther on a similar black crossband is to be seen on 
each side but now the band is of an irregular form and shows a ten- 
dency to become split up into two spots lying one above the other. 
Five or six more ventrals lower down to the tail the irregular black 
spot is represented by two irregular spots lying one above the other 
and still farther on there are to be seen on each side 18 combinations 
of three black spots lying one above the other, there being an inter- 
vening space of five or six ventrals between combination and combi- 
nation. Moreover there are on each side two black lines, the upper 
beginning behind the third cross-band, the lower behind the fourth 
and both running as far as the twentieth or last combination of spots. 
This particular coloration, is only to be seen as far as the foremost 
half of the body, the rest of the body and the tail being of a greyish 
colour without anv markings. In the smaller specimen from Kotting 
this coloration is not so clearly visible, the two dark Unes bemg 
only just indicated, but the series of black spots one above the other 
are distinct enough. 
As to the phohdosis of the head the larger specimen quite agrees 
with Schlegel's figure, having 8 upper-labials, the fourth and fifth of 
them entering the orbit. The smaller specimen has 9 upper labials, the 
fourth being a very smaU one lying beneath the lower praeocular and 
the fifth and sixth entering the orbit. This agrees with Duméril's des- 
cription of a specimen of Composoma subradiatum from Timor pre- 
sented by the Leyden Museum to that of Paris. Both our specimens 
have 25 rows of scales, whilst both Schlegel and Duméril agree in 
stating that the specimens from Timor have 23 rows of scales. 
I think it not improbable that the specimens from Flores form a 
local variety, but cannot vouch for it, as only two specimens were col- 
lected. Still I am strongly inchned to believe both, the numerous spe- 
cimens caught at Timor and the two specimens from Flores, to belong 
to local varieties of the foUowing species E. radiatus Sehl., a species 
collected in Java, Sumatra, Borneo and several parts of the Indian 
continent, but subject to many variations. 
19. Elaphis radiatus Schlegel. 
Java: Buitenzorg, 2 spec. 
These two young specimens agree in all points with Schlegel's des- 
