172 Dr. A. Giintlier on a new Genus of West African Snakes, 



yy. Twenty-one black rings round the trunk, and five round the 



tail; ventrals 211, caudals 30. — Two specimens from Brazil. 

 ff. Over eight scales. 

 cctx.. Twenty black rings round the trunk, and four round the tail ; 



ventrals 201, caudals 28. — One specimen. 

 /3/3. Thirty-one black rings round the trunk, and seven round the 



tail ; ventrals 201, caudals 32. — One specimen from Trinidad. 

 gg. Over seven scales ; twenty-two black rings round the trunk, and 



ten round the tail. — One specimen. 

 hh. Over six scales. 

 uot. Thirty-three black rings round the trunk, and seven roimd the 



tail; ventrals 201, caudals 32. — One specimen. 

 /33. Thirty black rings round the trunk, and seven round the tail. 



■ — Three specimens, 

 yy. Twenty-nine black rings round the trunk, and ten round the 



tail; ventrals 190, caudals 43. — One specimen from the West 



Indies. 



We can distinguish, among these numerous variations, two 

 forms : the northern, with the black rings edged with yellow, 

 the red ground- colour maculated with black, and a yellow occi- 

 put — E. fulvius ; and the southern, without yellow rings, with- 

 out black spots, and with black occiput — E. corallinus. But 

 Schlegel had good reason for not even admitting these two 

 species, because there occur a great many forms which we are 

 at a loss to refer to either of the two, and which we shall be 

 justified in raising to species if we shall have determined their 

 geographical extent and their constancy of character by more 

 than a single specimen. It appears to be perfectly evident, 

 from the synopsis given above, that E. affinis, Jan, and E. epi- 

 sterna, D. & B., founded on single specimens, are merely va- 

 rieties of E. fulvius. In this snake the bands gradually become 

 fewer in number ; they are regularly interrupted on the sides ; 

 they are irregularly interrupted [E. affinis), and finally are re- 

 duced to mere spots [E. epistema). It is, however, remarkable 

 that all these specimens come from Mexico. As long as I 

 could not establish the above series, I held E. epistema for a 

 good species. E. affinis is represented by Prof. Jan without 

 any yellow ; but this appears to me rather doubtful. 



E. tener, discovered by Prof. Baird, from Texas, may probably 

 prove to be a good species, distinguished by a remarkably short 

 tail and a comparatively slender body. More doubtful are E. 

 apiatus, Jan ; a specimen in the British Museum, closely allied 

 to it (A. II. b), which I leave for the present as E. corallinus, var.; 

 and E. Fitzingeri, Jan. 



The division which I have placed under B. I. d, comprising 

 those specimens in which a great number of black rings nearly 

 suppress the ground-colour, the individuals of which are of much 

 smaller size and of a comparatively slenderer body, is specifically 



