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Show 1899.] REPTILES OF THE MALAY PENINSULA AND SIAM. 095 218. LACHESIS PURPUREOMACULATUS (Gray). Lachesis purpureomaculatus, Blgr. Cat. Snakes, iii. p. 553 S. Flower, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 896. Dr. Hanitsch records this snake from Singapore, Pulo Brani, and Pulo Samba (Rep. Raffles Mus. & Libr. 1897, p. 10). Hab. Himalayas, Bengal, Assam, Burma, Andamans, Nicobars, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra. 219. LACHESIS GRAMINEUS (Shaw). Lachesis gramineus, Blgr. Cat. Snakes, iii. p. 554; S. Flower, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 896. Siamese. u Ngu kheeyo " = " green snake." " Ular dauu " of the Malays (apud Cantor). Localities. This Green Viper is the poisonous snake most often seen about Bangkok, where it is fairly numerous ; about ten individuals were caught in my garden alone in about twelve months. The British Museum Catalogue mentions specimens obtained at Pachebone and in the Laos Mountains by M. Mouhot. It is apparently the commonest Lachesis in Penang (Cantor, Stoliczka, Van Sommeren, and S. S. F. [at 2000 ft. elevation]) and Province Wellesley (Stoliczka and S. S. F.), but at Singapore (from which place it is recorded by Cantor, Blanford, and Hanitsch) it is rare, its place being taken by L. wagleri. Description (notes on). No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Locality. Bangkok. » i > Ventrals. 164 162 165 166 166 166 173 175 Subcaudals. 70 54 69 60 60 72 57 52 Scales. 19 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 Length. mm. 453 540 470 317 701 (2' Si"). 325 658 387 Upper head-scales, between supraoculars. 12 9 smooth, 9 „ 9 10 9 Internasals. in contact in contact >> >» >» >> Upper labials. 9+9 104-10 949 10+12 9410 Colour (in life). Bangkok specimen.-Above usually very bright. grass-green, sometimes rich dark green with ill-defined blackish cross-bands. A light yellowish line is sometimes present along each side. Lower parts bright electric blue, pale bluish green, or bright grass-green. Upper part and end of tail dull red. Sides of head from below the eye to the corner of mouth blue. Labials bright grass-green or blue. Lower surface of head in some individuals white, with shades of cobalt-blue. The eye is very 45* |