XENURELAPS BUNGAROIDES. 345 



XENURELAPS. 



Body siibcyliiulrical, long and slender ; belly rounded ; head short, subtri- 

 angular, with rounded snout, not distinct from neck, which is not dilatable ; 

 tail short. The shields of the head normal, but the loreal is absent. Nos- 

 tril lateral, between two shields ; eye small, with round j)upil ; one prse-, two 

 post-oculars. Scales smooth, not much imbricate, in fifteen rows; those of 

 the vertebral series enlarged, hexagonal. Anal entire ; subcaudals bifid. 

 Maxillary with a grooved fang in front, and with a small smooth tooth 

 behind. 



Only one species is known. 



XENURELAPS BUNGAEOIDES. 



Elaps bungaroides, Cantor, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 33. 



Very similar in general habit to a Bungarus. Shields of the upper surface of the head 

 normal, the occipitals somewhat tapering behind. Rostral as broad as high. Nostril open, 

 round. Loreal none, the preeorbital being in immediate contact with the postnasal. Two 

 postoculars ; seven upper labials, the third and fourth entering the orbit. Temporals 

 14-2-1-3, the anterior in contact mth both postoculars. Six lower labials; two pairs of 

 short chin-shields, the anterior in contact with three lower labials. Scales in fifteen series, 

 those of the vertebral series enlarged, hexagonal. Ventrals 237 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 46. 

 Upper parts black, with narrow white, angular, transverse lines, the angle of which is 

 pointed foi"wards ; these lines are more distinct in front than behind ; there are about forty- 

 eight on the trunk. The lower part of the rostral shield white; a white line across the 

 snout, before the eyes; two interrupted, divergent white lines commence on the vertical 

 shield, each descending to the side of the neck ; another band descends from behind the eye 

 to the fifth and sixth labial. Lower parts whitish, with irregular blackish cross bands. 



From Chirra Punji. The single specimen knoAvn is fortunately still preserved in the 

 Museum of the University of Oxford ; it is 15f inches long, the tail measuring If inch. 



