OCR Text |
Show 222 MR. \V. T. BLANFORD ON REPTILES [Feb. 1, Amphiesma rhodomelas, Dumeril & Bibron, Erp. Gen. vn. p. 737. Xenodon rhodomelas, Gunther, Cat. Snakes B. M . 1858, p. 58. Three specimens from Macassar, one quite small, only 8 inches long, the other two 22 and 23| inches in length. In all there are two prseoculars, the lower being very small; one (the young) specimen has three, the other two have each four postocularsl. In one example there are eight supralabials on one side, the second being divided. The loreal is about as high as broad, but only the binder part of the upper margin slopes downwards, and the form of the shield appears rather variable. Ventrals 131, 133, and 134 ; anal divided; subcaudals 52 pairs in two specimens, 55 in the third. These numbers are a little higher than those given by Dumeril and Bibron. OPHITES SUBCINCTUS, var. (Plate XXI. fig. 2.) Besides two normal specimens of this species, there is in the collection a young snake, 1U-J inches long (of which the tail measures 2), with smooth scales, and an undivided anal, but otherwise agreeing with O. subcinctus, and having the same peculiar arrangement of shields in the loreal region. In consequence of the scales being smooth, I at first took this for an undescribed species of the genus Lycodon, and had the accompanying figures of the head prepared, but subsequently amongst some snakes from province Wellesley in Malacca, collected by Mr. "W. L. Distant, I found a much larger specimen of Ophites subcinctus, in which the keels of the dorsal scales were very faint in the hinder part of the body, and quite absent in the anterior portion. I therefore now consider the young Singapore snake an abnormal specimen of the same species. PYTHON CURTUS. Python curtus, Schlegel, apud Hubrecht, Notes from the Museum at Leyden, vol. i. p. 244 2. This is a very remarkable species of Python : and it is curious that it should so long have escaped notice, Hubrecht's description having only been published last year. The specimen in the Leyden Museum was from Sumatra. P. curtus is remarkably stout for its length, its girth being proportionally much greater than that of P. reticularis and P. molurus. The number of scales round the body is less, the ventrals and sub- 1 Dumeril and Bibron say one prse- and two postoculars. Schlegel represents one prae- and four postoculars; but the figure does not look very exact in this respect. 2 In the 'Zoological Record' for 1877 there is the following notice:- "Python curtus, Sclileg. Description and figure; A. Hubrecht, Ann. Mus. Leyd. No. 1." I learn that the work quoted has not been published ; but a titlepage and, I believe, the figure and description of the present species were printed and a copy sent to the Recorder. In the ' Notes from the Museum at Leyden,' published in 1879, it is stated that the 'Annals,' which will contain a full description and figure of this species, will be published shortly. |