about one-third the size of the post-frontals, rounded in front and broader than
long. Vertical large, equalling the distance between its anterior margin and the
tip of the snout, with posteriorly convergent lateral margins as long as the breadth
of the anterior border of the shield; posterior margins forming nearly a right angle
Supereiliaries posteriorly expanded and as long as the vertical. Posterior ™<,.rgi„!
of oeoipital divergent, the shield in contact with superior postocular. Nasal plates
large. Loreal twice as long as high with its posterior extremity pointed. Two preoculars,
the lower very small and in the line of the labials; the upper large and
broad, reaching to the upper surface of the head, but not in contact with the vertical.
Two or three postoculars in contact with two temporals. Two elongated anterior
temporals side by side, those behind them irregular. Bight or nine upper l a b i a l .
the fourth and fifth, or the fifth and sixth, entering the orbit.
Inches. Inohes. Inches.
Total length . . . . ,
Length o f head . . . . . 59-17
1-10
52-34
1 1 0 •
4300
„ t a i l ................................................. 1-17
11-00
1-17
9-25
0-88
• ■'8Ä-:
Ventraia 252—258 ; Sub-caudals 90—101 ; Scales on the body 93.
Ground colour bright olive-yellow, darker on the upper surface of the head.
A narrow black band from behind the eye to the neok. A series of large elongated
irregular black spots on each side of the vertebral line, on the anterior half of the
trunk connected by a narrow intervening black area, many of these spots assuming
the form of black rings with yellow centres. On the hinder half of the body, the
connecting black lines disappear, and a broad yellow band runs along the vertebral
line to the tip of the tail. About the position of the twenty-fifth ventral, a lateral
series of elongately oval black rings with yellow centres begins, each ring occupying
about six rows of scales and separated from its fellows by about four rows of
scales. There axe from 12 to 14 of these rings, but they are displaced in the rrriddi.
of the body by large oblong dark-brown spots occupying the sides of the body,
each spot being separated from ils fellow by a narrow transverse yellow line continuous
above with the yellow dorsal area. On the sides of the tail, these large
brown spots become confluent, and constitute a well-defined brown lateral line. A
bright yellow line along the angles of the ventrals, in the last sixth of the trunk
and prolonged to the angles of the sub-caudals. The lateral margin. 0f alternate
groups of the ventrals, on the anterior part of the trunk, below the rings, are margined
with black, and there is a narrow interrupted band along the line of the feeble
keel. The ventrals and sub-caudals are yellow, but the former are obscurely spotted
with black.
Genus C o m p s o s o m a , Dum. & Bib.
COMPSOSOMA BADIATUM, Boie.
Russell, Ind. Serp., vol. ii, 1801, p. 44, pi. 42.
Coluber radiatus, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 536 ; Schleg., Phys. Serp., 1837, vol. ii, p. 135, pi. v,
%s! 5 and 6 ; Cantor, Joum. As. Soc., Bengal, 1847, p. 920.
Coluber quadrifasicatus, Cantor, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1889, p. 51.
Tropidonotus quinqué, Cantor, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1889, p. 54.
Coelognathus radiatus, Fitz. Syst, Rept., 1848, p. 26.
Compsosoma radiatimi, Dum. & Bibr., Erpét. Gen., vol. vii, 1854, p. 292 ; Günth. Rept. B. Ind.,
1864, p. 243 ; Steind., Reise Novara, 1867, p. 64 ; Theobald, Joum. Linn. Soc., 1868, p. 45 ;
Stol. Joum. As. Soc., Bengal, 1870, pp. 141, 187 ; id. op. cit., 1871, p. 430 : id. op. cit., 1873,
p. 114; Theobald, Descr. Cat. Rept. Brit. Ind., 1876, p. 165.
Spilotes radiatus, Günth. Cat. Col. Snakes, 1858, p. 96.
One specimen differs from the type in having only eight upper labials, the fourth
and fifth entering the orbit. The dentition appears to be, upper jàw 16 + 16=32;
lower jaw 16 + 16=32. Length 45 inches ; head 0-95 ; tail 9'25. Ventrals 236;
sub-caudals 99 ; scales in 19 rows.
In another specimen of this variety, with eight upper labials, the third, fourth
and fifth enter the orbit, and both anterior temporals are to contact with the post-
oculars.
These specimens, however, agree in every other respect with a radiatimi. They
were obtained at Mandalay.
Genus P t y a s , Fitzinger.
P t y a s m u c o s u s , Linn.
Russel’s Ind. Serp., vol. ii, 1801, p.. 20, pi. xviii, fio-, g.
Cobber mucosus, Linn., Mus. Adolph. Frid., 1754, p. 37, pi. xiii, fig. 2, pi. ccxxiii, fig. 2 ; Russell.
Ind. Serp., vol. i, 1796, p. 40, pl.xxxiv; Lacep. Quadr. Ovip.1789, vol. ii, p. 238, pi. xxxiv,
Latr. Rept., vol. iv, 180Ò, p. 156 ; Daud. Rept., vol. vi, 1804, p. 855.
Coluber blumenbachii, Merr., Tentam, 1820, p. 119 ; Schlegel, Ess. Phys. Serp., vol. ii, 1837 n 137
pi. v, figs. 7 and 8.
Coluber dhwnma, Cantor, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1839, p. 51; Joum. As. Soc., Bengal, voi xvi 1874
p. 74. . . . I ' .- I | | § j B j ¡I
Coryphodon blumenbachii, Dum. & Bibr., Erpét. Gèni., vol. vii, 1854; p. 184, Günther Cat. Cal
Snakes, 1858, p. 111.
Leptophis brifretiatits, Hollow, Proc. Acad. Philad., 1860, p. 503.
Ptyai mmum, Cope, Proc. Aead.Philad., i860, p. 568; Günther, Eept. Brit. Ind., 1864, p. 249-
Steind., Novara, Eept., 1887, p. 64; Theobald, Joum. Linn. Soo., vd. x, 1868, p! 46 • id ’
Descr. Cat. Eept. Brit. Ind. 1876, p. 169; Stoliczka, Joum. As. Soo., 1870,’ v d . ¿ s i x ’
■ pp. 187, 141, 185.; Blanford (W. T.) loc. cit., p. 872 ; Anderson, op. cit., vol. xl, 1871, p. 84 -
Ferguson, Rept. Fauna, Ceylon, 1877, p. 19.
This widely distributed and common species occurs at Mandalay, and at
Momien, nearly 5,000 feet above the sea. In the example from the latter locality