134 ON THE PHYSIOGNOMY OF SERPENTS. 



1. CoRONELLA VENUSTissiMA. Soutli America producGs 

 this beautiful species, distinguishable by its slender form 

 and its colours ; a fine vermilion-red is the ground colour, 

 and all the body is surrounded with fifteen pairs of black 

 rings bordered with white. The scales with black points 

 are disposed in 15 rows. The abdominal plates are 200 ; 

 those of the tail vary from 45 to 100. 



At Surinam, this snake is replaced by one very analo- 

 gous ; but which has a more slender form, and conse- 

 quently a smaller numl)cr of abdominal plates, which are 

 only about 180 : we may confer on tliis serpent the name 

 of CoRONELLA VENUSTA, if wc would cousidcr it as a dis- 

 tinct species : it is very common, and kno^vn as Coluber 

 agilis. 



2. CoRONELT-A cocciNEA is another closely allied species, 

 inhabiting North America, but is of smaller size than 

 the last ; the eyes are smaller ; the vertical plate is mas- 

 sive, and the superciliary small. R. of scales, 17- S. 

 170 + 35. 



3. CoRONELLA Merremmit IS comuiou in Brazil, and 

 is remarkable for the vast number of varieties it affords 

 accidentally, or from age. Its head is very broad, and 

 covered on the summit by small plates of an elongated 

 form. The large rhomboidal scales are disposed in from 

 17 to 19 rows. The under parts are usually yellow ; the 

 upper in adults is of a greyish-gi*een, dependent on a round 

 spot in the centre of each scale. The young have a sys- 

 tem of colouring, like that of the preceding species, but 

 the black rings become effaced with age, and the red tint 

 becomes brown. S. 139 + 50, or 183 -f- 68. 



4. CoRONELLA Regin^ occurs in Surinam, Brazil, and 

 even in Guadaloupe. In form it resembles the preceding, 

 but the colours are different ; above greyish-blue, below 

 yellow, A^dth square spots of black ; small black spots or- 

 nament the sides, and there are white spots near the angle 

 of the mouth, and on the neck. R. of scales, 17. S. 

 140 -f 70. 



5. CoRONELLA CoBELLA is common in Surinam, and ap- 

 pears also to be found in North America. The frame is 



