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Show 230 DR. A. GUNTHER ON INDIAN REPTILES. [Mar. 16, the supraorbital and postorbital confluent; therefore the separation of these shields cannot be continued as a character of Plectrurus, which, however, is sufficiently distinguished by the vertically compressed terminal caudal scute. PLECTRURUS BREVIS (Beddome), =P. perrotteti, young. MELANOPHIDIUM BILINEATUM (Bedd.). (Plate XXXII. fig. A.) The coloration of the adult and young is perfectly the same, except that the lateral band and the lower side of the tail are pure white in the young, whilst in the adult a series of minute black dots runs along the middle of the lateral band, and the lower part of the tail is ornamented by two series of round black spots. This species occurs in the Wynad, at an altitude of 4000-5000 ft. MELANOPHIDIUM PUNCTATUM (Bedd.). (Plate XXXII. fig. B.) In this species the coloration of the adult and young is identical, the sides being ornamented sometimes by two, and sometimes by three longitudinal rows of black spots. But the terminal scale of the tail is subject to a remarkable change : in a specimen 12 inches long it is simply conical (fig. 2) ; in another, 17| inches long, it is narrow, provided with two parallel ridges, each ending in a short spine (fig. 3) ; and, finally, in another of 18 inches, and much thicker Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Magnified 2 diameters. than the second, the terminal scute is compressed, with the ridges as in the second specimen, but with two pairs of short spines, one pair being vertically above the other (fig. 4). The mental groove is equally developed in all these specimens and species. This species is found in Travancore, at an altitude of 3000-5000 feet. ASPIDURA COPII, Gthr. W e have received a second example of this species; it was obtained in the district of Uimbola, Ceylon. GEOPHIS STENORHYNCHUS. Similar in habit to G. microcephalus, but with fifteen series of scales. Rostral shield narrow and deep. The two anterior labials |