﻿214 COLUBRID^ 



and a half to twice as long as deep. One preocular, 

 extending to the upper surface of the head, but not 

 reaching the frontal ; two (rarely one or three) post- 

 oculars. Temporals I + 2. Upper labials eight, fourth 

 and fifth entering the eye, sixth usually in contact 

 with the parietal. Four or five lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields, which are as long 

 as or a little shorter than the posterior. 



Scales with mostly single apical pits, the pits 

 sometimes paired on the sides of the body, in twenty- 

 one or twenty-three rows (nineteen to twenty-five in 

 North African specimens). Ventral shields 153 to 

 192 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 40 to 54. 



Coloration, — Pale brown or greyish above, with 

 small dark brown or blackish spots or with more or 

 less distinct darker and lighter longitudinal streaks. 

 Upper surface of head with dark brown vermicula- 

 tions; a dark brown or black, often light-edged 

 occipito-nuchal band, extending downwards to the 

 gular region and produced forwards into a point to 

 between the parietal shields ; a dark brown or black 

 streak on each side of the head from the end of the 

 snout, through the eye, to the last lower labial shield, 

 traversing the four last upper labials, which are yellow- 

 ish above and below the streak (Plate XL). Lower 

 parts yellow or coral red, with black spots, which 

 may form a tessellated pattern, two longitudinal 

 series, or be so crowded as to fuse into a band along 

 the middle of the belly and tail. 



