224 OPHIDIA. 



Coluber Austriacus. 



Coronella Icevis seu Austriaca, Dum. et Bib. vol. vii. p. 610. 

 Coluber Austriacus, Buon. Faun. Ital. (figured). 

 Coluber lesvis, Schinz, vol. ii. p. 45. 



Desceiption. — jS'ever attains to a very large size. The 

 head but slightly distinct from the body ; tail short, strong 

 at its base; eyes small; the rostral plate presses much 

 upon the muzzle, is of a triangular form, with its top 

 pointed ; there are seven labial plates on the upper lip on 

 each side, of which the third and fourth touch upon the 

 eye; scales of the body smooth, rhomboid, in nineteen 

 longitudinal rows ; ventral j^lates, 160 to 164 ; subcaudal, 

 sixty to sixty-four pairs ; one anal plate divided ; the 

 upper maxillary teeth are on the same hue with the others, 

 and longer ; the upper parts are greenish brown, with two 

 parallel rows of black markings along the back, more 

 distinct towards the head than in the hinder portion ; 

 sometimes the spots on the back are small, and few in 

 number ; the lower parts have a hghter ground colour, but 

 are often much darkened by black marblings. 



Entii-e length, about 2 feet. 



Inhabits Central and Southern Europe ; various parts of 

 France, but is not very common in the South of that 

 country. Sicily, the whole of Italy, and its islands, but is 

 more frequent in the north than in the south of that 

 peninsula. Is included in the Fauna of Gallicia and the 

 Bukovina, Silesia, and Carniola. In Switzerland, is com- 

 mon near Zurich. Rare in Belgium, where it has been 

 met with near Louvain, and on the right bank of the Mo- 

 selle. Schinz states that it is found as far North as Sweden, 

 and is everywhere less common than C. Natrix. 



