242 OPHIDIA. 



Elaphis t^niurus. 



Elaphis virgatus, var. (spec, c), Giinth. Colubr. Snakes, p. 95. 

 tseniurus. Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1860, p. 565. 



Body rather slender, compressed ; tail of moderate length ; head narrow, with rather long 

 snout. Rostral scarcely broader than high ; anterior frontals obtusely rounded in front, not 

 quite half as large as posterior. Vertical nearly twice as long as broad, \vith parallel lateral 

 margins and with a posterior right angle. Occipitals somewhat longer than vertical, some- 

 Avhat rounded behind. Loreal rather longer than high ; two prseoculars, the lower small, 

 the upper extending to the upper surface of the head, but not reaching the vertical. Two 

 postoculars. Eight low upper labials, the fourth and fifth of which enter the orbit. Tem- 

 porals rather irregular, generally 2 + 3, the two anterior bemg elongate, in contact with the 

 postoculars. Anterior chin-shields in contact with six lower labials. Scales on the back 

 slightly keeled, in twenty-five series. Ventral shields 230-232; anal bifid; subcaudals 

 98-101. Each maxillary is armed with sixteen or seventeen teeth of equal size. Back 

 greenish olive, assuming a yellowish hue on the hinder part of the trunk, this colour being 

 narrowed into a yellow band rumiing along the back of the tail. Sides of the body greyish 

 olive, variegated Avith blackish and with a narrow, subinterrupted black longitudinal line 

 above. The sides of the trunk become gradually entirely brownish black behind, this colour 

 being narrowed into a black band running along the side of the tail ; a white band separates 

 this lateral band from the ventral and subcaudal shields. Numerous black streaks cross the 

 anterior part of the trunk. Belly whitish, checkered with black along the edges of the 

 abdomen, the black spots forming posteriorly a continuous band running along each side of 

 the belly and of the subcaudals. Head without any spots, but with a deep-black streak 

 from the eye to the angle of the mouth. 



This species is closely allied to the Japanese E. virgatus, which is represented by it in 

 China (Ningpo, Chikiang), and, according to Cope, also in Siam. It attains to a length of 

 more than 5 feet, the tail measuring one-fifth. 



