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Show 1 9 0 5 .] JAPAN AND THE LOO CHOO ISLANDS. 5 1 5 Groups 2 and 3. Loo Choo S n a k e s . Family C o l u b r i d ^e . Subfamily C o lu b r in ^e . 1. T ropidonotus p r y e r i .-Of 58 specimens, 54 were obtained from Okinawa, three from Amami, and one from lriomote. There were two postoculars on one side in one specimen. Four contained eggs with no trace of embryos. 1 killed 20th April had 3 eggs, largest I-hi" X . 1 ,, ,, ,, ,, o ,, ,, about 1 long. 1 „ 22nd „ „ 3 „ „ 111" long. 1 8th May „ 6 „ „ 1$". The size of the eggs first alluded to is very remarkable considering the size of the species. The mother measured 2 feet inches, tail slightly docked. 2. D inodon ru fo zo na tu s .-Of eight specimens two were from Miyako, two froni Isliigaki, four from lriomote. The two specimens from Miyako were peculiar in colour, being of a much lighter brown than usual. Each had 21 whitish, dark-margined dorsal bars. The ventrals were 182 and 189. 3. D inodon sem ic a r in a tu s .-Of 22 specimens, 19 were from Okinawa and three from Amami. The supralabials in one were eight with the fourth and fifth only touching the eye. One had swallowed a fledgling, and another a lizard. 4. Coluber s c hm a c k e r i .- A single specimen, much mutilated and of large size, was obtained from Ishigaki. The supralabials were nine on the right side with the fifth and sixth touching the eye, ten on the left side with the sixth and seventh touching the eye. The loreal was more than twice as long as high. The upper of two praeoculars nearly touched the frontal. 5. A blabes sem ic a r in a tu s .-Of 134 specimens, 131 were from Okinawa and three from Amami *. 6. A blabes hermince.-The single specimen was from lriomote. It was an aberrant example in that the scales number 19 in midbody. Anteriorly and posteriorly the normal 17 scales were present. Ventrals 159 and subcaudals 60. 7. H emibu n garus ja p o n ic u s .-Of ten examples, six were from Okinawa and four from Amami f. Those from Okinawa were all alike in having five longitudinal black dorsal lines broader than the pink intervals. There were 9-12 narrow black annuli round the body and 1-2(2 usually) on the tail. The ventrals and subcaudals * There seems but little doubt that Japan has been incorrectly included as a habitat for this species and for Hemibungarus japonicus. Boulenger is clearly of this opinion (vide op. cit. vol. iii. p. 395 footnote). These species were originally described and figured by Gunther (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) i. 1868, pp. 418 & 428) from one specimen of each reported to have come from Nagasaki. Thirty-seven years have now elapsed without either being rediscovered in Japan, t See footnote to Ablabes semicarinatus. |