CCELOPELTIS 207 



the sutures between the shields. Lower parts uni- 

 form white or yellowish. 



In the var. semimaculata, Boettger, from Chios, 

 small dark spots are scattered over the upper parts 

 of the anterior half of the body. 



Size. — This snake rarely reaches a length of 

 19 inches. It is the smallest Colubrid of Europe. 



Distribution. — The Caucasus up to about 5,000 

 feet, Asia Minor, Chios, Cyprus, Syria, Mesopotamia, 

 and North- Western Persia. The northern slope 

 of the Caucasus appears to be the only part of 

 Europe included in its habitat. The British Museum 

 possesses two specimens labelled as from Constanti- 

 nople, but the presence of this species in European 

 Turkey requires confirmation. 



A closely allied species, which has been confounded 

 with C. modesia, C. collaris (Menetries), and which 

 also inhabits the Caucasus without having been 

 recorded from the northern slope, is distinguished 

 by having the scales in fifteen rows (very rarely 

 seventeen), and the posterior chin-shields in contact 

 with each other. 



Habits. — Nothing is known as regards this species, 

 but the North American members of the genus 

 Contia are chiefly insectivorous and oviparous. 



Genus CCELOPELTIS, Wagler 



Maxillary teeth small and subequal, followed after 

 a short interspace by one or two very large grooved 



