96 CORONELLA GETULA. 



cated in front, and of pentagonal form, rounded above and slightly concave below; 

 there are two quadrilateral nasal plates, nearly of the same size, the one slightly 

 hollowed before, the other behind, to accommodate the nostril; the anterior orbital 

 is single, large, and of pentagonal form, with a small square loral plate between it 

 and the posterior nasal; there are two posterior orbital, very small and quadri- 

 lateral, behind which are two oblong, square temporal plates. The labial plates 

 are seven in number on each side, all quadrilateral to the fifth, which is pentagonal, 

 and of these the third and fourth make up the inferior wall of the orbit of the eye. 



The nostrils are near the snout, very large, and open laterally. The eyes are 

 rather small, with the pupil black, and the iris dusky. The neck is scarcely 

 contracted, and is covered above with small smooth scales. 



The body is elongated, robust, and covered with large, smooth, hexagonal scales 

 above, and large plates below. The tail is short, thick at the root, but soon 

 becomes small, and ends in a horny point. 



Colour. The Coluber gctulus is one of the most beautiful of our Snakes, and 

 its colours arc of most singular pattern. The ground of the whole superior surface 

 of the animal, the head as well as the body and tail, is of the richest shining 

 raven-black; the rostral plate is white in the centre, and every other plate about 

 the head is marked with one or more white or milky-white spots; that of the 

 vertical plate often resembles a transverse white line along its anterior part, while 

 the labial have each similarly disposed spots, but of triangular form and variable 

 magnitude, sometimes equal to half the size of the plate; the chin and throat are 

 white, and have most of the plates margined with black. 



The body is marked by about twenty-two nearly equidistant transverse white 

 bars or rings. These rings are narrow^, embracing two or parts of three scales; 

 nor do they surround the body, but bifurcate at the flanks, so that one portion 

 runs to join the ring placed in front, and the other to join the ring behind, and 

 thus produce nearly a continuous waving white line on the flanks, beginning at the 



