60. coLUBER. ae 
Callopeltis xesculapii, Schrewb. Herp. Eur. p. 281 (1875); Tomasini, 
Wiss. Mitth. aus Bosn, u. Herzeg. ii. p. 620 (1894). 
Elaphis flavescens, Leydig, Abh. Senck. Ges. xiii. 1883, p. 176, 
Callopeltis longissimus, Camerano, Mon. Ofid. Ital., Colubr. p. 54 
(1891) ; Mtna-Palumbo, Nat. Sicil. xii. 1893, p. 129. 
Coronella austriaca, part., Sarauw, Nat. og Mennesk. Copenh. x. 1898, 
p- 216. 
Rostral broader than deep, just visible from above; internasals 
broader than long, shorter than the prefrontals; frontal once and 
one fourth to once and one third as long as broad, as long as its 
distance from the rostral or the end of the snout, shorter than the 
parietals; loreal as long as deep or longer; one pre- and two 
postoculars; temporals 243; eight or nine upper labials, fourth 
and fifth or fifth and sixth entering the eye; four or five lower 
labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are as long 
as or a little longer than the posterior. Scales smooth, or faintly 
keeled on the posterior part of the body, in 21 or 23 rows. Ventrals 
distinctly angulate laterally, 212-248; anal divided ; subcaudals 
60-91. Grey or olive-brown above, some of the scales with whitish 
lines on the margins ; sometimes with four darker stripes along the 
body * ; a dark streak behind the eye; upper lip and a triangular 
patch on each side behind the temple yellow; belly uniform pale 
yellow. Young with dark brown dorsal spots, forming four or five 
longitudinal series, a A-shaped black marking on the nape, behind 
the yellow temporal blotches, a dark brown bar across the forehead, 
and a black vertical line below the eye; belly greyish or yellowish 
olive. 
Total length 110 millim. ; tail 240. 
Central Europe, Denmark ft, Italy, Dalmatia, Balkan Peninsula, 
Cis- and Transcaucasia. 
a-b. § (Se. 23,23; V.225, France. 
229; C. 78, 82), 
e. 5 (Se. 21; V. 228; C Nantes. 
d-f. 5 (Se. 28; V. 220; Schlangenbad. Dr. Giinther [P.]. 
C. 83), 2 (Sc. 23; V. 
gobs C. 77), & «her. 
(Se. 23; V. 226; C. 86). 
* The report of the occurrence of C. guatuorlineatus at Saumur, Maine-et- 
Loire (Millet, Faune de Maine-et-Loire, p. 629), is evidently based on such a 
striped specimen, as pointed out by Viaud-Grandmarais. 
t I have expressed doubts (Zool. 1894, p. 14) as to whether a large specimen 
(1280 millim. long) with 218 ventral shields, from the island of Seeland, had 
been correctly referred by Sarauw to Coronella austriaca. Further notes on 
that specimen, captured at Peterswarft in 1863, and now preserved in the 
Seminary at Skaarup, which Mr. Sarauw subsequently sent me at my request, 
accompanied by a sketch of the head, changed my doubts into certainty: the 
Peterswarft snake belongs to a distinct species, which turns out to be Coluber 
longissimus. Three specimens have been examined by Mr. Sarauw, which are 
perhaps the last survivors of a snake formerly inhabiting the forests of Southern 
Seeland. It appears that, so far, no authentic specimen of Coronella austriaca 
is known from Denmark. 
