ELAPS. 23 



four scales; the extreme tip of tail is black. Undcrneatli, the color- 

 ation is the same, with less brilliancy ; the fawn-colored rings are 

 maculated with black blotches. 



The proportional difference in width between the colored rings con- 

 stitutes a great difference between this species and E. fuJvius. It is 

 a much more slender snake, provided with a more slender head, which 

 imparts to the cephalic plates a more elongated shape, especially to 

 the vertical and occipitals. The eyes also are much smaller. 



'^^ 2wf ^" } 237+2. 26. 15. 171. If. Col. J. D. Graham. 



N'etoBmuji/els, Tex. 2^0^1.29.15. 26. 2. F. Lindheimer. 



" 224+1. 38. 15. 22. 2J. « 



3. Elaps tristis, B. & G. — Head broad behind, pointed forwards. 

 Vertical plate subpentagonal, equilateral, "with its posterior triangular part 

 short and obtuse. Eyes proportionally small. 



The affinities of this species are intermediate between E. fulvius 

 and E. tencre. It has the red-colored ground, annulated with black 

 rings, fourteen in number, and covering five or six scales above, oc- 

 casionally seven, and only three or four when reaching the outer or 

 lateral rows : thus these rings diminish towards the abdomen. The 

 yellow rings on the other hand have the same width as in E. fulvius, 

 embracing one entire row of scales and two halves. The intermedi- 

 ate red spaces affect six or seven scales, dotted all over with deep 

 black, as in the two preceding species. The tail has four black and 

 three yellow rings, the tip being yellow. The first three black ones 

 embrace nine and eight scales, the fourth only sis. The intermedi- 

 ate yellow cover three or four scales. 



The shape and structure of the head, as given above, are the pro- 

 minent distinguishing characters. 



Kcm2->er Co., Miss. 203. 41. 15. ITf. 2i. D. C Lloyd. 



Rio Grande W. of) 209.40.15. 10^. U. Gen. Churchill. 



ban Antonio. ) 



