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THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
The single known species is— 
Xenurelaps bungaroides, Gunther. 
Elaps bungaroides, Cantor. 
Gunther’s definition of the species is “very similar in general 
habit to a Bungarus. Shields of the upper surface of the head 
normal, the occipitals somewhat tapering behind. Bostral as 
broad as high. Nostril open, round. Loreal none, the prse- 
orbital being in immediate contact with the post-nasal. Two 
post-oculars ; seven upper labials, the third and fourth entering 
the orbit. Temporals 1 + 2 + 3, the anterior in contact with both 
post-oculars. Six lower labials; two pairs of short chin-shields, 
the anterior in contact with three lower labials. Scales in 
fifteen series, those of the vertebral series enlarged, hexagonal. 
Yentrals 237 ; and entire; sub-caudals46. Upper parts black, 
with narrow, white, angular, transverse lines, the angle of which 
is pointed forwards; these lines are more distinct in front than 
behind; there are about forty-eight on the trunk. The lower part 
of the rostral shield white; a white line across the snout, before 
the eyes; two interrupted, divergent white lines commence on 
the vertical shield, each descending to the side of the neck; 
another band descends from behind the eye to the fifth and 
sixth labial. Lower parts whitish, with irregular blackish 
cross bands.” 
In the Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, No. iii., 
March, 1870, page 82, Mr. Jerdon says, he has obtained “a 
single specimen of the very rare Xenurelaps bungaroides, of 
which only one specimen is known, the type specimen in the 
Museum at Oxford.” Jerdon describes his specimen thus :— 
“It is 15 inches long, of which the tail is 2-J. It has 224 
ventral scuta?, and 44 sub-caudals, and 13 to 15 rows of scales 
on the body. It only differs from Gunther’s description by 
having one white intercepted line commencing on the vertical, 
and extending to the throat on each side. When alive the 
colour of the body was a deep rich madder-brown, and the 
bands were yellow, paling posteriorly. The chin and throat 
are whitish, which passes into red, gradually deepening on the 
posterior part of the body and tail, and there are numerous 
oblong black marks on the abdominal and sub-caudal centres.” 
I have been unable to collect any information about this 
snake; it is not in the Indian Museum. 
Dr. Cantor describes it as “ black blue above, with white 
arrow-shaped stripes ; beneath alternately white and black blue.” 
It is called Blaps bungaroides from its resemblance to B. 
crendeus or the ICrait. 
In habits and properties, as in appearance, it most probably 
resembles the B. carndeus. Information being much needed 
about the snake, it is to be hoped that naturalists on the fron¬ 
tiers will endeavour to procure specimens and such information 
as to its habits, as will throw light on the subject. 
CALLOPHIS. 
This genus has several species in India; they are all venomous, 
though from the shortness of the fangs, and as they are gene¬ 
rally of small size, it is probable that a fatal result would not 
be produced by their bite in man. The poison is virulent, 
nevertheless, and fowls bitten by some of the species succumbed 
in from one to three horn’s. The known Indian species are :— 
Callophis intestinalis. 
„ macclellandii. 
„ annularis. 
Callophis trimaculatus. 
„ nigrescens. 
„ cerasinus. 
They are all more or less distinguished by the presence of a 
bright colour on the more sombre hue of the general surface of 
the body. 
They are sluggish, apparently defective both in sight and 
hearing, for they allow themselves to be approached with little 
sign of fear. They are not aggressive, and bite reluctantly, but 
if irritated, they can be made to bite, and, as I have said, the 
poison pi’oves fatal to fowls. 
They are ground snakes, and are slow in their movements. 
They seem to prefer hilly to level country, and they live chiefly 
on snakes. Gunther says, the Calamarice, an innocent family, 
which they much resemble in appearance, are their principal 
food. 
Gunther’s description of them is as follows :—“ Body sub- 
cylindrical, very long and slender; belly rounded; head short, 
obtuse, with broad snout, not distinct from neck, which is not 
dilatable; tail, short. The shields of the head normal, but the 
loreal is absent. Nostril wide, lateral, between two shields; 
eye small, with round pupil; one pree-, two post-oculars ; tem¬ 
porals in a single longitudinal series. Six, seven, or eight 
upper labials, the third and fourth entering the orbit. Scales 
smooth, not much imbricate, in thirteen rows, those of the 
vertebral series not enlarged. Sub-caudals bifid. Maxillary 
with a grooved fang in front, without other teeth behind. 
“ The Callophides are very similar to one another: their 
body is cylindrical, of nearly the same width throughout, and 
much elongate, the number of ventral shields almost always 
exceeding 200. The head is of moderate length, slightly 
depressed, not distinct from neck, with broad rounded snout. 
The nostril is lateral, rather narrow, situated between two 
shields; eye small, with round pupil. Cleft of the mouth of 
moderate width, not much extensible. The shields on the 
upper side of the head normal, the occipitals generally some¬ 
what elongate. Loreal absent; the single pim-ocular forms a 
short suture with the hinder nasal; it extends on to the upper 
surface of the head, but does not reach the vertical, which is 
comparatively narrow. Two post-oculars, in contact with the 
single anterior temporal. The number of upper labials does not 
exceed eight, generally there are less than eight, the third and 
fourth entering the orbit. Scales invariably in thirteen rows, 
smooth, polished, not much imbricate. Tail short, tapering, 
with bifid sub-caudals.” 
Callophis intestinalis. 
This species is found in Central India (Malwah) according 
to Gunther. The only specimen in the Indian Museum in 
Calcutta is one marked from Singapore, under the synonym of 
Blaps fasciata, Cantor. The Proceedings of the Zoological 
Society, part 7, 1839, p. 34, gives the following description of 
it“ Pale reddish-brown above, with a bright yellow dorsal 
line, with black serrated margins ; in the tail three black bands; 
the abdominal surface whitish yellow, enclosed on each side by 
a black line.” Habitat, Singapore. Its synonyms are :— 
Elaps furcatus, Schlegel; Schneider. 
Aspis intestinalis, Laur. Sgn. Amphib. 
Maticora lineata, Gray. 
Elaps intestinalis, Cantor. 
Callophis intestinalis, Gunther. 
Gunther describes the Malwah variety as follows, the 
description somewhat differs from that given by Cantor:— 
“ Head light brown above, yellowish below, spotted with 
black on the sides; a vermilion, black-edged band runs from 
the occiput to the tip of the tail; a buff-coloured band, with an 
upper and lower black border, runs along the joining edges of 
the two outer series of scales; the upper black border is as broad 
as the stripe of reddish-grey ground-colour on the side of the 
back. Belly with alternate pale citrine and black cross bands, 
the latter colour occupying three or four ventral shields together, 
whilst the former rarely occupies more than two; tail with three 
black rings, which, however, are sometimes absent. 
“Upper labials 6; ventral shields 223-271; sub-caudals 
24-26.” 
“ It attains to a length of 2 feet, the tail measuring 1} inch.” 
“ At a meeting of the Asiatic Society on the 6th April, 1870, 
Dr. Stoliczka exhibited a specimen of the rare Callophis intes¬ 
tinalis obtained from Upper Burmali. The species has the poison 
