25 



TROPIDONOTUS .—KiM. 



Genus Tropidonotus. — Characters. Head oblong-ovate, depressed, distinct; 

 two nasal plates; eyes moderate, pupil round; loral plate single; anterior orbital 

 the same; scales sub-hexagonal, elongated, and strongly carinated. 



Remarks. — The genus Tropidonotus includes a great many species, even in this 

 country. Those with us resemble each other so nearly, except in colour, that they 

 might be described as almost simple varieties of the same animal. These are 

 mostly water-sAakes, and are remarkable for their strongly carinated scales. In 

 this genus again is seen that peculiar arrangement of the ribs, by means of which 

 the animal can flatten itself during life. 



TROPIDONOTUS FASCIATUS.— L««?ja;Ms. 



Plate V. 



Characters. Head large, sub-oval, elongated, flattened, broader behind, rounded 

 at the snout; body elongated, thick, covered with carinated scales, dusky, with 

 about thirty oblong or triangular marks of red on the flanks. 



SrNONYMES. Coluber fasciatus, Linnseus, Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 378. 



Coluber porcatus, Latreille, Hist. Nat. Rept, torn. iv. p. 82, pi. xxix. fig. 1. 

 Coluber porcatus, Daudin, Hist. Nat. des Rept., torn. vii. p. 204. 

 Coluber porcatus, Bosc, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., torn. viii. p. 264. 

 Coluber porcatus, Harlan, Med. and Phys. Res., p. 119. 

 Vol. IV.— 4 



