168 THE SNAKES. OF SOUTH? AFRICA. 
of some of the scales ; lower parts dirty white or brownish, grey, 
or blackish. 
Average length—15 inches. 
Distribution—Transvaal ; Northwards to Tropical Africa. 
. ELAPECHIS SUNDEVALLI. Sundevall’s Garter Snake. Kousband Slang. 
Synonyms—Elaps sunderwallu ; Elapsoidea sundevalli. 
Colour—Reddish brown above with yellow cross bands, the scales 
on which are edged with reddish-brown ; upper lip, outer row 
of scales, and lower parts yellow. 
Average length—1 foot 6 inches. 
Distribution—Griqualand ; Basutoland; Natal. 
3. ELAPECHIS DECOSTERI. De Costa’s Garter Snake. Kousband Slang. 
Synonym—Elapsoidea decostert. 
Colour—Dark grey above, each scale edged with black; outer row 
of scales and lower parts white. 
Average length—r4 inches. 
Distribution—Zululand ; Vryheid District ; Delagoa Bay ; Portuguese 
East Africa. 
nN 
Genus HOMORELAPS. 
Two Species in South Africa. 
KEY tO HE SPECIES: 
Ventrals 160-215... oe Se 56 .. Homorelaps lacteus. 
Ventrals 219-244 .. 5 is or .. Homorelaps dorsalis. 
1. HOMORELAPS LACTEUS. Southern Garter Snake; Kousband Slang. 
Synonyms—Coluber lacteus ; Cevastes lacteus ; Elaps lacteus ; Vipera 
lactea ; Elaps hygee ; Aspidelaps lacteus. 
Colour—Colouration variable, but vertebral line constantly bright 
red, yellow, or orange, even if crossed by black annuli; head 
black, with yellow or orange markings, sometimes with two 
yellow dots close together behind the frontal shield. 
A. Yellowish-white with more or less regular black bars or annuli ; 
belly black, or with a continuous or interrupted black stripe. 
B. As in the preceding, but ventrals uniform white. 
C. Black, with small round yellow spots forming various markings ; 
a series of large orange spots along the spine more or less con- 
fluent into a band ; ventrals black at the base, yellow behind. 
D. Black, each scale with a yellow dot ; an orange or citrine vertebral 
stripe ; ventrals black at the base, yellow behind. 
Average length—1 foot 4 inches. 
Distribution—Both provinces of Cape Colony; Natal; Griqualand ; 
Orange River Colony ; Transvaal. 
2. HOMORELAPS DORSALIS. Striped Garter Snake. Streep Kousband 
Slang. 
Synonym—Elaps dorsalis ; Pecilophis dorsalis. 
Colour—Black above with a yellow vertebral stripe extending to the 
tip of the snout; lower parts and three outer rows of scales 
white. 
Average length—1 foot. 
Distribution—Eastern Province of Cape Colony ; Orange River Colony ; 
Vryheid District ; Natal; Transvaal. 
