256 OPHIDIA. 



three species among the specimens formerly included under the name of Coryphodon cari- 

 nafusf, retaining this name for the Bornean form. 



Four species are known, two of which occur in British India : — 



* Three loreals : Zapyrus. 



Median scales smooth Z.fuseus-f. 



Two median rows of scales keeled Z. carinatusX. 



** One loreal : Zaocys. 



Two median rows of scales keeled Z. dhumnades. 



Foui- median rows of scales keeled Z. niyromaryinatus. 



Zaocys dhumnades. (Plate XXII. fig. A.) 



Coluber dhumnades, Cantor, Ann. i^ Mag. Nat. Hist. 1842, ix. p. 483, and Mai. Rept. p. 74. 



Ablabes vittatus, Dum. ^- Bibr. vii. p. 326 §. 



Coryphodon carinatus, var., Giinth. Colubr. Snakes, p. 112. 



Zaocys dhumnades. Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. I860, p. 563. 



Occipitals obliquely truncated behind ; loreal simple, rather longer than high ; eight upper 

 labials, the fourth and fifth entering the orbit ; temporals 2 + 2, the two anterior in contact 

 with the oculars. Scales rhombic, not elongate, in sixteen (fourteen) rows, those of the two 

 middle series strongly keeled, the others with two apical grooves. Ventrals 189-199; anal 

 bifid; subcaudals 92-08. Each maxillary is armed with thirteen teeth, the anterior of which 

 are smallest, the middle and posterior equal in size. Greenish anteriorly, each scale with a 

 black margin ; a yellow band, broadly edged with black, runs along the median line of the 

 front part of the trunk ; an indistinct blackish band on each side of the body, along the 

 third outer series of scales. Tail and posterior half of the trunk entirely black. 



This species does not appear to be confined to the Chinese island of Chusan, Cope men- 

 tioning its occurrence at Ningpo. Our longest specimen measures 70 inches, the tail being 

 20 inches. 



We have given a lateral view of the head, and one of a portion of the trunk, to show the 

 carination of the dorsal scales. 



t From Borneo: see Colubr. Snakes, p. 112. 



X Zaocys carinatus (Coryphodon carinatus, spec, a, Giinth. Colubr. Snakes, p. 112). — Occipitals trun- 

 cated behind; loreal triple; nine upper labials, the fifth and sixth entering the orbit; temporals 2 + 2, 

 the two anterior iu contact with the ocidars. Scales rhombic, not elongate, in sixteen rows, those of the 

 two middle series keeled ; the others with two apical grooves. Ventrals 209 ; anal bifid ; subcaudals ca. 110. 

 Each maxillary is armed with about twenty teeth, which gradually become stronger and longer posteriorly. 

 Brownish olive anteriorly, with reticulated white cross bands ; tail and posterior third of the trunk black, 

 with two series of pm'e white spots on each side, ovate on the trunk and circular on the tail ; belly and 

 lower part of the tail with series of round white spots. — Borneo. Our largest example is nearly 10 feet 

 long, the tail being one-fourth. 



§ The specimen on which A. vittatus, D. & B., has been founded has sixteen series of scales. 



