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Show 1871.] DR. J. ANDERSON ON INDIAN REPTILES. 185 TRAGOPS PRASINUS, Reinw.; Gthr. I. c. p. 303. In the largest specimen the fourth upper labial does not enter the margin of the lip, and the seventh and eighth are nearly completely united. On the left side there are nine labials, but the fourth is divided longitudinally ; and an arrangement similar to this occurs on both sides of the other specimen. No. Length. Tail. Ventrals. Caudals. 1 .... 62|" 22" 203 170 2 .... 48£ 17| 203 167 Darjeeling, 3200 feet. The most common Tree-Snake in Bengal is Passerita myderizans, which is very prevalent in the neighbourhood of Calcutta. DIPSAS HEXAGONATA, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, xxiv. p. 360. Dipsas multifasciata, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. xxix. 1861, p. 114 ; Stol. J. As. Soc. xxxix. 1870, p. 119. Scales smooth, in twenty-one rows ; a single apical groove. Vertebral series enlarged, hexagonal, elongated on the anterior part of body, short and broad behind. Ventrals 232-248; caudals 108-125. One, sometimes two, praeocular, reaching to the upper surface of the head ; vertical nearly as broad as long, margin straight or slightly convergent. Loreal of moderate size, quadrangular, rather higher than long or square ; two postoculars ; eight upper labials, the third, fourth, and fifth entering the orbit. Temporals irregular, varying from 1 + 2, 2 + 2, 2 + 3, to 3 + 3, with one, two, or three temporals in contact with the oculars. Eleven teeth in each upper jaw, increasing in length from before backwards, the last grooved. Uniform dark reddish brown or dark olive reddish brown above; a faint dark line behind the eye in some, absent in others. The surface of the head is faintly and minutely speckled with brown ; under surface coral-red or pale pinkish-yellow anteriorly, deepening from before backwards. Young specimens show an irregular line of white spots margined below with black on the angle of the ventrals ; the body with a series of five black transverse zigzag lines. General colour above bright brick-red; below white anteriorly, darkening to red posteriorly. Hab. Darjeeling, 2300 feet; Bengal; Andamans. Blyth's type of D. hexagonata is no longer in the Museum; but some young specimens from the Andamans referred to this species agree with m y specimens in all essential particulars, even to the variation of the temporals. Some of them, however, have a small defined black spot in the centre of the vertical and on each occipital, which do not occur in any of the specimens before me ; all the other markings are the same. The temporals are 3 + 3 and 2 + 3, two or three in contact with oculars. This species is separated. from D. bubalina by its coloration, which is uniformly bright pinkish red or reddish brown, paler beneath. |