<7. xENODoir. 149 



5. Xenodon severus. 



Coluber severus, Linn. Mas. Ad. Frid. p. 25, pi. viii. fi<^. 1 (1754), 



and S. N. i. p. 379 (1766). 

 Cerastes severus, Laur. St/n. liept. p. 81 (1768). 

 Coluber breviceps, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 430 (1802). 



versicolor, Men: Tent. p. 95 (1820). 



saiu'ocephalus, JFied, Beitr. Nat. Bras. i. p. 359 (1825). 



Xenodou severus, iScUaj. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 83, pi. iii. tigs. 1-5 (1837) ; 



Bum. Sf Bibr. vii. p.YoG (1854) ; G'llnth. Cat. p. 54 (1858). 

 severus, part., Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 186.3, p. '617, and 



Icon. Gen. 19, pi. iii. tig. B (1866). 



Maxillary teeth 10-12 + 2. Head short, much depressed; body 

 more or less depressed. Rostral twice as broad as deep, the portion 

 visible from above measuring one fourth to one third its distance 

 from the frontal ; internasals nearly as long as broad, as long as the 

 praefrontals or a little longer ; frontal as long as broad or slightly 

 longer, as long as or a little shorter than its distance from the 

 rostral, shorter than the parietals ; loreal deeper than long ; one 

 prae- and two or three (rarely four) postoculars ; temporals 1 + 2 or 

 1 + 3 ; eight upper labials, fourth and fifth entering the eye ; five 

 or six lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which 

 are larger than the posterior. Scales in 21 rows. Ventrals not 

 angulate laterally, 128-149 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 33-42. 

 Young with angular, brown, dark-edged bands separated by 

 narrow pale brown interspaces ; usually a round white spot on the 

 nape, and light and dark curved bands on the head ; belly brown or 

 black, with large yellowish spots on the sides. These markings 

 usually become indistinct or disappear in the adult, some of which 

 are pale brownish or greyish above and yellowish interiorly ; others 

 have broad black bands across the body, or black edges to some or 

 all of the scales, or the upper parts may be entirely black with a few 

 small yellowish spots. 



Total length 1-500 millim. ; tail 190. 



Tropical South America. 



a. Yg. (V. 149 ; C. 36). Eosario de Cucuta, Mr. C. Webber [C.]. 



Colombia. 



b. S (V. 135; C. 36). Venezuela. Mr. Dyson [C.l. 



c. d. 2 (V. 140, 139 ; C. 38, Demerara. 

 38). 



e,f. d (V. 131 ; C. 40) & Berbice. Lady Essex rP.l 



2 (V. 140; C. 37). 



ff. Yg. (V. 1.34; C. 41). Berbice. 



h. 2 (V. 140; C. 313). British Guiana. 



i. Yg. (V. 136; C. .38). Surinam. 



k, I. Ilgr. 2 (V. 139; Para. R. Graham, Esq. [P.l. 



C. 37) & yg. (V. 142 ; 



C. 40). 



m, n. d (V. 134 ; C. 36) Para. 



& yg. (V. 137 ; C. 34). 



0, p. 2 (V. 136 ; C. 34) Movobamba, N.E. Mr. A. H. Rofi rC.l. 



& hgr. (V. 131 ; C. 36). Peru. 



