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Show 1 9 0 5 .] JAPAN AND THE LOO CHOO ISLANDS. 513 in this area are peculiar to it, except Lachesis okinavensis, which encroaches upon the Japanese area on Yaku, and Tropidonotus pryeri, which extends further south into the next division. (3) The South Loo Cliooan area, comprising the islands of Miyako, Irio-mote, and Ishigaki. Only 15 specimens were collected in this area, including 5 species. Two of these extend to Formosa, viz., Lachesis mucrosqucimatus and Dinodon rufozonatus; one is common to the whole Loo Chooan area, viz. Tropidonotus pryeri; and the remaining two hitherto have only been obtained from this area, viz. Coluber schmackeri and Ablabes hermince. Group 1 . J a p a n e s e S n a k e s . Family C o l u b h i d je. Subfamily C o lu b r in ^ e . 1. T ropidonotus v ib a k a r i .- The 14 specimens were all obtained from Japan (Hondo)*. The supralabials were eight with the fourth and fifth only touching the eye in three specimens, and eight with the third, fourth, and fifth touching the eye on one side in one specimen. The anterior chin-shields touched five infralabials in one specimen. One example captured in July contained five eggs, the largest measuring 1 ^ " X 2. T ropidonotus t ig r in u s .- Of 56 specimens, 5 3 were collected in Japan (Hondo), two in Yaku, and one in Tanega. The supralabials were eight with the fourth and fifth touching the eye in two, the postoculars two on one side in one. The loreal was confluent with the postnasal on both sides in three, and on one side in one. A toad had been ingested in two examples. 3. D inodon ja po n ic u s .-A single normal specimen was obtained from Y amanashi (Hondo). The ventrals were 202 and the sub-caudals 74. 4. Coluber c o n spic il la tu s.-Of 19 specimens, 18 were from Japan (Hondo) and one from Tanega Island. The temporals were two in one Hondo specimen, and the scales 23 in another Hondo specimen in the middle of the body. Ventrals and sub-cauclals were as follows in five specimens:- 209 + 71, 203 + 64, 214 + 71, 217 + 66, 221 + 69 (the fourteenth and fifteenth sub-caudals entire). The Hondo adult examples, with one exception, were uniform brown with each scale outlined darker; the belly rose or cherry-coloured, with a double series of large, rectangular, black, median spots frequently confluent across the belly ; two * Boulenger, op. cit. vol. i. p. 221, mentions Formosa as a habitat for this species. I f this is correct, it is a very singular circumstance. There are no other instances of Japanese species occurring in Formosa, except Dinodon rufozonatus and Ancis-trodon blomhoffii. The existence of both in Formosa is easily understood, since they are common snakes on the Chinese mainland, and the Formosan Snake fauna is composed almost entirely of Chinese species. In the case o f Tropidonotus vibalcari, however, it is significant that it has not been recorded from China (except Manchuria) and it does not occur in the Loo Choos. I am prompted to regard this record as an error. |