XENELAPHIS HEXAHONOTUS. 251 



of the vertebral series enlarged, six-sided; ventrals not keeled; anal bifid. 

 Jaws with numerous teeth subequal in size. 



Only one species is known. 



Xenelaphis HEXAHONOTUS. (Plate XXI. fig. C.) 



Coluber hexahonotus. Cantor, Mai. Rept. p. 74. 

 Coryphodon hexahonotus, Giinth. Colubr. Snakes, p. 110. 



Head short, truncated in front, rather distinct from neck; body and tail elongate, not 

 compressed ; eye of moderate size. Rostral broader than high ; anterior frontals as long as 

 broad, more than half as large as posterior ; vertical five-sided, with the anterior margin longer 

 than the lateral margins, whicli are somewhat convergent, and with a right angle behind ; 

 occipitals angular behind. Loreal quadrangular, rather longer than high, entering with its 

 hinder angle between the two praeorbitals ; the upper praeorbital is larger than the lower, 

 extending on to the upper surface of the head, but not reaching the vertical. Three post- 

 oculars, the lower being as large as the two others ; it forms a part of the lower orbital margin. 

 Eight upper labials, the fourth of which enters the orbit ; the fifth is small, about as large as 

 the first, situated below the lower postorbital. Temporals elongate, 2 + 2, the two anterior 

 in contact with the postoculars. Scales rhombic, with truncated apex, smooth, without 

 apical groove, in seventeen rows; those of the vertebral series are rather larger than the 

 others and hexagonal. Ventrals 191-197, extending very little up the sides ; anal bifid ; 

 subcaudals 148-179. Each maxillary is armed mth a continuous series of twenty-two closely- 

 set teeth, which gradually become somewhat longer and stronger behind. Brown, with black 

 cross bands in immature specimens; these bands are as broad as the interspaces of the 

 groimd-colour, and occupy only the anterior half of the length of the trunk ; they become 

 indistinct with age : old examples are uniform brown above, with traces of some of the bands 

 left on the sides of the anterior part of the trunk. Lower parts uniform yellowish. 



This species is scarce ; it is found in Arakan, Pinang, and Singapore : the British Museum 

 has received an example from Borneo. It attains to a length of 62 inches, the tail measuring 

 25 inches, the head only 1|- inch. 



We have given an upper and lateral view of the head, and one of a portion of the trunk, 

 to show the form of the scales of the vertebral series : all of the natural size. 



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