end is marked by a distinct notch. In the Muangla specimen, the two-fold
character of the nasals is also indicated by the epidermis peeling off along a «miw
groove. I am therefore inclined to regard the normal condition of the nostril to be
that desoribed by Günther, although in the Yunnan snake the nasals are united
into a large shield.
In the type of A. bicolor there is only one preocular, hut in a specimen from the
Khasia Hills in the British Museum, and in this snake from Yunnan, there are two
pre-oculars; hut it appears that the lowermost of these plates in these two specimens
must be regarded either as a separated portion of the third labial or of the
. uppermost preocular, and that the number of the preoculars is thus a variable
character, because the type of G. bicolor, Blyth, and the British !Museum specimen
referred to, agree in other respects. The Muangla specimen further indicates that
the number of postoculars is also a variable character, for the number of these
plates, unlike the former examples, is three, the most inferior resting on the
third and fourth labials over their suture, and thus excluding all the upper labials
from entering the orbit, this supplementary shield being apparently a separated
portion of the fourth upper labial.
This Yunnan snake is one foot ten inches in length, but a small portion of the
tail is absent. The ventrals are 195, and the existing sub-caudals number 57. The
anal is bifid, and there are 17 rows of scales on the body.
The colour is uniform dark olive-brown above, and orange-buff below. Each
scale has a dark-brown lateral margin and an obscure faint yellow tip, and all are
finely speckled with brown. The confluence, or qontinuity of the dark lateral margins
of the scales gives rise to an obscure, but finely longitudinally banded appearance.
This species has hitherto been found only in Assam and the Khasia Hills, but
its occurrence in Western Yunnan is in no way remarkable, because there is a
similarity between the fauna of the Khasia Hills and that of Yunnan.
A b l a b e s c o l l a r is , Gray.
Psammophis collaris, Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1853, vol. xii, p. 890.
Ablabes collaris, Giinth., Cat. Col. Snakes, 1858, p. 28 ; Kept. B. Ind., 1864, p. 228 ; Stol., Joum.
As. See., Bengal, 1870, pp. 140 and 184; id., op. cit., 1871, p. 430; Anders., Proc. Zool. Soc.,
1871, p. 171; id., Journ. As. Soc., Bengal, 1871, p. 83; Strauch. M&n. Petersb., vol xxi,
1878-74, p. 41, pi. i, fig. 2 ; Theobald, Descr. Cat. Kept. Brit. Ind., 1876, p. 156.
Only one specimen of this species was obtained by me in Yunnan, in the
Hotha valley. I have compared it with the type in the British Museum, with which
it agrees in all its essential characters. Ventrals 173. Tail imperfect. Head 0"*50;
gape 0"-38. Scales, 17 series. The teeth are of equal size, small, numerous and
crowded, 36 in each upper maxillary and 86 in the lower jaw, with 40 palatine teeth
oh each side.
Loreal square, or slightly elongated vertically. The lower angle of the
anterior nasal shield is on a level with the margin of the upper lip, and it excludes
the first labial from contact with the rostral. Both pairs of frontals are transversely
elongated: the vertical is rather lower than the superciliary. The occipitals
are large and obliquely truncated behind, and only in contact with the upper
postocular. One preocular reaching the upper surface of the head: two postoculars
in contact, with an elongated temporal, behind which there is another
elongated shield alongside the occipital, and below it, and over the ninth and tenth
labials, there are two smaller temporal shields. There are ten upper labials, the
fourth, fifth and sixth entering the orbit; the eighth and tenth the largest; and
two pairs of chin-shields, the anterior in contact with four labials.
I t is uniformly reddish-brown above; olive-yellow below. A broad black collar,
with a yellow border behind, is continued along the upper lip. A black curved
band passes over the posterior ends of the occipitals; and another over the hinder
margin of the superciliaries and vertical, faint-black, and marbled on the other
shields of the head. A short dark indistinct vertebral line on the neck; and
a black dot on the angle of each ventral and sub-caudal; the anterior eighth of
the body has an additional spot internal to the black dot.
The whole under surface of the lower jaw is minutely speckled, and there is
a black spot on the margin of each upper labial.
This species appears to be a hill form, as it has hitherto been found only in the
Himalaya, Khasia, Jaintid and Yunnan mountains at considerable elevations. Its
most western known limit is the valley of the Sutlej.
A b l a b e s b i s t r ig a t u s , Gunther.
Ablabes bistrigatus, Gunther, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1868, June, p. 417; Theobald, Joum.
Linn. Soc.,, 1868, p. 4 2 ; Descr. Cat. Kept. Brit. Ind. 1876, p. 155.
The first example of the species was obtained in Pegu by Mr. Theobald, and
is now in the British Museum, and the second specimen which I found at Prome
perfectly agrees with it.
The Prome specimen measures 10-50 inches, of which the head is 0*25, the gape
0-16, and the tail 3 inches. There are 185 ventrals and 77 sub-caudals. The scales
are in 17 series, and the anal is bifid. The loreal is longer than high, and the
vertical is rather large, but much smaller than the occipitals, which are rounded,
and in contact with the postoculars behind. One preocular and two postoculars;
one temporal in contact with the lower postocular, and another elongated shield
behind it and below the occipital. Two oilier temporal shields between the eighth,
ninth and tenth labials and the occipito-temporai shield; ten upper labials;
the fourth, fifth and sixth shields entering the orbit. The eighth shield excluded
from the labial margin by the seventh and ninth shields. Two chin-shields subequal
in size, the first in contact with fourth labials. About 30 crowded small teeth
of nearly equal size in each division of the upper jaw. Colour uniform olive-
brown. Upper surface of the head black; a yellow band from the eye to the
neck, and another from the occipitals; the former crossed by two black bands, one