424 



BITLT.ETIN a.?, TTNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



the suture between them shghtly longer than internasal suture; no 

 k)real; one preocular; one postocular; one anterior temporal; 7 supra- 

 labials, sixth smallest, second largest, broadly in contact with pre- 

 frontal third and fourth entering eye; 3 lower labials in contact with 

 anterior chin-shields which are somewhat shorter than the posterior, 

 the latter broadly in contact anteriorly; 25 rows of smooth scales on 

 the neck, 33 shortly keeled or tuberculated ones on the middle of 

 body; 323 bicarinate ventrals, often scarcely differentiated; 4 sub- 

 equal, elongate anals in a line- 43 subcaudals; terminal scales of tail 



350 



Figs. .S4S-350.— Disteiea melanocephala. nat. size. 348, side of head: 349, scutellation at 



MIDDLE OF BODY fj X NAT. SIZE) I S.SO, SIDE OF TAIL. No. 2.1, IMPER. MUS. ToKYO. 



but slightly differentiated. Color (in alcohol) very pale yellow, more 

 ochraceous on back, with 50 blackish rings on back, six on tail, wider 

 on the back and belly and confluent on the anterior third of the latter 

 into a black ventral band, the dark rings narrower than the ])ale inter- 

 spaces; head blackish with an irregular yellow spot on most of the 

 shields, except posterior su])ralabials; lower labials, chin, and throat 

 blackish; ti|) of tail l)lack. 



hiiiinmnnsi. 



Head small; neck and body slender, csppcially anteriorly. mm. 



Total length 1, 080 



Snout to vent itS5 



Vent to tip of tail 95 



Width of head 8 



Diameter of neck 7 



Greatest height of body 27 



Greatest height of tail 21 



The young resemble the adults except that the black color is more 

 extended, so that the coloration of the snake may be described as 



