106 SYNOPSES AND DESCRIPTION^. 



var. NIGROCINCTUS. 

 Elaps nigrocinctus Girard, L854, I'r. Ac. N. Sc., Phil., 226. 



Head black to the middle of the parietals. Body encircled by 19 — 21 

 white-bordered black rings, separated by red spaces. Some scales and some 

 of the ventral plates in the red spaces marked with black. Tail with about 

 six rings, black and white. Ventrals in one specimen 222too. The white 

 color was probably yellowish in life. Mexico and Central America. 



var. AFFINIS. 



Elaps affinis Jan., 1859, Rev. & Mag. Zoi'd. [Prodr. Ophid., pp. 6 and 14, pi B). 



Head black from muzzle to postorbitals. A yellow space extending to 

 the third or fourth scales on the neck is followed by bands of black three 

 or four scales wide separated by red spaces of ten to fourteen scales each. 

 In the red spaces the scales are tipped with black, and there are also black 

 spots of greater size irregular shape and position. Ventrals 216; anal 

 divided ; subcaudals 40 pairs. Mexico. 



var. DISTANS. 

 Elaps distans Kennicott, 1860, Pr. Ac. N.Sc., PhU., 338. 



"Body slender, with very narrow black rings, four or five scales in width, 

 separated by intervals three or four times as wide, of brownish or reddish, 

 entirely unspotted. No light rings separating the red and black ones. 

 Under lip and jaw wholly without black, and the tip of the nose light." 

 Chihuahua, Mexico (Kenn.) Florida (Cope.) 



var. apiatus. 



Flaps apiati's Jan., 1859, Rev. & Mag. Zo'dl. (Prodr. Ophid., p. 11). 



Snout tipped with black. A spot of yellow in front of the eyes. A black 

 band across the head through the eves to the labials. A black collar 

 behind the parietals four scales in width. Thirty-one black bands on the 

 body; eight on the tail. The scales in the red spaces are not spotted with 

 black, but here and there are scales entirely of that color. Ventrals 202; 

 anal divided; eight entire subcaudals and 33 pairs. (Jan.) 



' var. EPISTEMA. 



Elaps epistema Dumeril & Bibrm, 1854, Erp. Gen. VII, 1222. 

 Back with large spots of black, without rings. Black of muzzle extend- 

 ing to postorbitals. Occiput and throat yellow. Behind this a black collar 



