ZAOCYS. 255 



slender, not compressed ; eye of moderate size. Eostral shield broader than high, swollen 

 and protruding (more so in adult examples than in young ones). Anterior frontals more than 

 half as large as posterior, as long as broad. Vertical large, very broad in front, with the 

 lateral margins much convergent and concave ; its anterior margin is longer than the pos- 

 terior. Occipitals subtruncated behind. Loreal square ; a large prteorbital is in contact with 

 the vertical ; generally a small piece is detached from the third upper labial shield, forming 

 a second lower preeorbital; two postorbitals. Eight upper labials, the fourth and fifth 

 entering the orbit ; the fifth is the highest, ascending a short way up behind the orbit. 

 Temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3, the lower anterior the largest; both anterior in contact with the 

 postoculars. Scales elongate, narrow, smooth, with a pair of apical grooves, in twenty-one 

 or twenty-three rows. Ventrals 201-229, somewhat ascending up the sides, without any 

 keel; anal bifid; subcaudals 73-87. Each maxillary is armed with about fourteen teeth, 

 slightly increasing in length posteriorly, the last being rather stronger, but scarcely longer, 

 than the preceding, separated from it by a short interval. Yellowish or brownish olive 

 above, with narrow, equidistant, white, brown, and black variegated cross bands ; they occupy 

 only the anterior half or third of the body, extending more backwards in young individuals 

 than in old ones, in which they may entirely disappear ; lower parts uniform yellowish. 



This species is not uncommon in the peninsula of Southern India ; it appears to be scarce 

 in Bengal ; a single specimen (which I have also examined) was found in the Province Wel- 

 lesley by Dr. Cantor. It attains to a length of 41 inches, the tail measuring 9 inches. 



The upper and lateral views of the head, given on Plate XXI., are of the natural size. 



ZAOCYS, Cope. 



Body elongate and compressed ; ventral shields about 200 ; tail elongate, 

 its length being one-fourth or more than one-fourth of the total. Head 

 distinct from neck, of moderate length, rather elevated ; eye large, with 

 round pupil. Shields of the head regular ; superciliaries large, convex ; two 

 praeoculars, the upper of which is large, not reaching the vertical, the lower 

 small ; two postoculars. Scales in fourteen or sixteen rows, those of the 

 median series generally keeled. Anal bifid. Teeth in the jaws subequal in 

 size; those of the maxillaries in a continuous series, rather larger behind. 



This genus has been formed for several species, found on the Indian continent and in 

 Borneo, which approach the Tree Snakes by the character of their elongate body; their 

 ground-colour- is generally green. Having examined numerous examples, I now distinguish 



