CCELOPELTIS 



209 



than the parietals. Two loreals. One preocular, the 

 upper portion of which is much enlarged, and en- 

 croaches upon the area occupied in other snakes by 

 the prefrontal and the supraocular ; two (rarely three) 

 postoculars. Temporals 2 + 3 or 4. Upper labials 

 eight (rarely nine), fourth and fifth (or fifth and 

 sixth) entering the eye. Four or five lower labials 

 in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are 

 as long as or shorter than the posterior. 



Scales with 

 single apical 

 pits, in seven- 

 teen or nine- 

 teen rows, 

 longitudinally 

 grooved in the 

 adult, less dis- 

 tinctly in the 

 young. Ven- 

 tral shields 160 to 189; anal divided; subcaudals 68 

 to 102. 



Coloration. — The young is elegantly marked with 

 dark brown and yellowish-white on a pale brown 

 ground. On the head, the principal dark markings 

 usually are an oblique band on the posterior half of the 

 supraocular shield, and another, or a large spot, on 

 the parietal, sometimes produced backwards, and 

 forming with its fellow a /^-shaped band, separated 

 from a large occipital blotch by a yellowish space ; 

 14 



Fig. 30 



