93 



CORONELLA .—Laurenti. 



Genus Coronella. — Characters. Head moderate, much less distinct from the 

 neck than in Coluber, but covered with the same number of plates; snout short, 

 rounded; rostral plate very concave below; loral plate single; superior orbital 

 plate not projecting over the eye; nostrils lateral; teeth small, numerous, curved; 

 posterior ones rather larger; body sub-cylindrical, larger in the middle; scales 

 smooth; tail short. 



Remarks. This genus, as established by Laurenti, embraced a great many 

 serpents, widely different in their characters. Boie limited it to such as resem- 

 ble in their forms the Coronella Isevis, the type of Laurenti's genus. I would 

 still further restrict it to such serpents as differ from the true Colubers in having 

 the head shorter, and but slightly larger than the neck; where the plates of the 

 head and face, though precisely the same in number, differ much in proportional 

 development of certain parts. Thus they are all generally shorter, and the 

 superior orbital projects so slightly over the eye, that it can be but partially seen 

 from above, which approximates this to the next genus, Helicops, where the eyes 

 are superior. The loral plate is single, as well as the anterior orbital. The 

 body is elongated, sub-cylindrical, larger in the middle, tolerably robust, and 

 always covered with smooth scales; the tail is rather short, never more than one- 

 third the length of the body. The animals of this genus seldom equal the 

 Colubers in size, though some of them are of considerable dimensions. They are 

 also much less lively and active, and are never seen on trees. 



