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Show are 204 + 28, 183 + 28, 194 + 30, 2 0 2 + ? , 197 + 27, 129 + 29. Two specimens from Amami agreed in having three longitudinal dorsal, black lines, narrower than the pink intervals. One of these had indications of another line in the flanks on each side. One had 12 and the other 14 black annuli. Both were peculiar in that the last ventral was divided, a condition which obtains in no other specimen, and this may constitute a separate species. The ventrals and subcaudals were 208 + 29 and 198 + 28. The remaining two specimens from Amami were pale pink with a single, narrow, vertebral black line. One had 15 and the other 13 black annuli, and the ventrals and subcaudals were 215 + 28 and 214 + 30. One of the Okinawa examples had swallowed a lizard measuring 4| inches. The snake was 1 foot 7| inches in length, and the lizard occupied a position entirely posterior to the tenth inch in the snake's length. The stomach was therefore placed unusually far back in this species, and I have noticed a similar peculiarity in an allied snake, Bungarus candidus, in India. Family V i p e r i d a Subfamily Crotalin^e. 8 . L a che s is o k in a v e n s is .-Of eight specimens four were from Okinawa, three from Amami, and one from Yaku. The scales were 23 in mid-body in all except one specimen, where they were 24. The subocular was broken up in two specimens. The ventrals and subcaudals were 131+44, 134 + 46, 127 + 42, 128 + 46, 128 + 46, and 129 + 42. One had swallowed a small shrew-like animal. 9. L achesis f l a v o v ir id is .-- Of 41 specimens, 21 were from Amami and 20 from Okinawa. The ventrals were 232 in one specimen, 234 in another. The scales were 40 in mid-body in one specimen. Many were quite young, hatchlings apparently ; six such varied in length from 1 foot 6| inches to 1 foot 9f inches. One had swallowed a rat. The fang of one large specimen was measured straight. 10. L aches is mucro sq u am a tu s .-Of four specimens, three were from Miyako and one from Iriomote. I have no hesitation in considering these specimens as belonging to this species, though it extends the habitat considerably. They agreed with the specimens I have examined in the British Museum Collection. A pair of internasals was present. Two to four rows of temporals were smooth. The scales were 23 in mid-body in two specimens, 24 in another, and 25 in the fourth. The ventrals and subcaudals were 186 + 66, 190 ? + 77, and 185 + 72. S ea Sn a k e s . Family C o l u b r i d , ® . Subfamily HydrophiinvE. 1 . H y d ru s p la tu ru s .-One specimen of Boulenger's Yariety E (op. cit. vol. iii. p. 268) was from Okinose Sagami (Hondo). 2 r HYDRorms m e l a n o c e p i ia lu s .- Of three examples tw o were 516 ON SNAKES FROM JAPAN AND THE LOO CHOO ISLANDS. [Dec. 12, |
