COLUBER SCALARIS. 213 



Coluber scalaris. 



Bhinechis scalaris, Dum. et Bib. toI. vii. p. 227 ; Buon. Faun. Ital. 



(figured). 

 Coluber scalaris, Schinz, Europ. Favrn. vol. ii, p. 42. 



Desceiptiox. — The head is distinct from the body, conical, 

 wide at its base ; muzzle ending in a point formed by the 

 projection of the rostral plate ; the body is cylindrical, the 

 angles of the belly not being prominent ; the tail is short and 

 conical; the scales of the back smooth; the scales on the body 

 are arranged in twenty-seven to twenty-nine longitudinal 

 rows, those on the tail in from six to eight rows ; the plates 

 on the throat are two or three in number, those on the belly 

 from 206 to 216 ; two anal plates, and from forty-eight to 

 sixty-two subcaudal divided ones ; the maxillary teeth are 

 15 above, 17 below; palatines, 10; pterygoid, 8. The gene- 

 ral colour of the adult is tawny red-brown ; all along the 

 back and tail are two black lines, united at nearly equal 

 distances by broad black bands, from whence the specific 

 name has been derived ; these bands are less distinct on 

 the anterior portion of the animal, and in many instances, 

 generally in male animals, are altogether wanting, in which 

 state it has been mistaken for a new species, under the 

 epithet of " hitceniatus ;'' on the sides are small, united 

 black spots, forming oblique bars, alternate in general with 

 the marks on the back ; belly dull white, spotted with 

 greyish black. 



In the young the general colour is light grey ; the black 

 lateral lines on the back do not exist, so that the spots on 

 the median Hue are not united. The dark spots on the 

 belly are much closer than in the adult. 



The entire length sometimes exceeds 4 feet. 



It is found commonly in Spain, the South of France, and 

 the Morea. In Italy, according to Prince Buonaparte, it 



