Zoological Society. 203 



where they become larger, and often broken into ad mble alternating 

 series ; a line of smaller and deeper black spots rnns along each 

 side, and the upper margins of the abdominal plates also are irregu- 

 larly mottled with black. The plates of the abdomen are minutely 

 and obscurely freckled with dusky black. Length of head and body, 

 1 foot 1-| inch ; of tail, 3-^ inches. 



Vipera Euphratica. Allied to Vipera elegans, but differs in the 

 disposition of the plates around and between the nostrils, and in the 

 style of its colouring. A large fossa indicates, as in Vip. elegans, 

 the aperture of the nostrils, and within this a valve, only to be 

 seen when the fossa is opened, stretches obliquely across, forming 

 the posterior margin of the nasal canal, as it extends from the bot- 

 tom of the fossa. 



The rostral plate is large and rounded above ; the muzzle is large 

 and swollen ; the eyes sunk, but are not overshadowed, as in V. 

 elegans, by a single superciliary plate ; the scales, however, which 

 occupy its place, are somewhat larger than those covering the top 

 of the skull between the eyes. A large elongated scale intervenes 

 between the nasal cavity and the rostral plate. The scales between 

 the nostrils are larger than those which succeed them ; the labials 

 are rather small, the fourth from the rostral being the largest — their 

 number on each side is ten. The scales on the top of the head are 

 small, keeled, subacute at the points; those of the trunk are large, 

 flat, elongated, with rounded points, and narrowly keeled. 



Subcaudal plates 47 pairs. 



Body stout and robust, gradually tapering tc the apex of the tail. 

 The general colour of the upper surface is brownish gray, minutely 

 freckled with black, the dots of which are more clustered on the 

 sides, in some places, and at regular intervals, giving the appearance 

 of obscure cloudedfascice, or nebulte. The plates of the under surface 

 are pale yellow, obscurely mottled and dotted with dusky gray. 

 Length of head and body, 4 feet 5 inches ; of tail, 7^ inches. 



Two other snakes, one from India, the other from Antigua, were 

 also described as follows : 



Coluber Caxtori. Eyes large ; head broad ; muzzle moderate ; 

 vertical plate broad, as are also the two occipital plates, and the an- 

 terior ocular on each side. Scales of body small, smooth, and 

 closelv imbricate. 



Body deep, somewhat compressed and tapering. 



General colour of upper surface glossy brownish black ; a black 

 spot below each eye, on the meeting edges of the 5th and 6th labial 

 plates ; a black line from the back of the eye to the angle of the 



