83 



style of its colouring. A \&rge f ossa indicates, as in Vip.elegans, 

 the aperture of the nostrils, and within this a valve, only to be 

 seen when the f ossa is opened, stretches obliąuely across, forming 

 the posterior margin of the nasal canal, as it extends from the bot- 

 tom of the /ossa. 



The rostrai plate is large and rounded above ; the muzzle is large 

 andswollen; the eyes sunk, but are not overshadowed, as m V. 

 eleguns, by a single superciliary plate ; the scales, ho\vever, \vhich 

 occupy its place, are somewhat larger than those covering the top 

 of the skuU between the eyes. A large elongated scale intervenes 

 between the nasal cavity and the rostrai plate. ITie scales between 

 the nostrils are larger than those -vvhich succeed them ; the labials 

 are rather small, the fourth from the rostrai being the largest— their 

 number on each side is ten. The scales on the top of the head are 

 small, keeled, subacute at the points ; those of the trunk are large. 

 flat, elongated, \vith rounded points, and narrowly keeled. 



Subcaudal platės 47 pairs. 



Body stout and robust, gradually tapering to the apex of the tail. 

 The general colour of the upper surface is brownish gray, minutely 

 freckled with black, the dots of which are more clustered on the 

 sides, in some places, and at regular intervals, giving the appearance 

 of obscure clouded/asci^, or nebulce. The platės of the under surface 

 are pale yellow, obscurely mottled and dotted with dusky gray. 



Length of head and body 4 5 



Length of tail O 7 j 



Two other snakes, one from India, the other from Antigua, were 

 also described as follows : 



CoLUBER Cantori. Eyes large ; head broad ; muzzle moderate ; 

 vertical plate broad, as are also the two occipital platės, and the an- 

 terior ocular on each side. Scales of body small, smooth, and 

 closely imbricate. 



Body deep, somewhat compressed and tapering. 



General colour of upper surface glossy bro\vnish black ; a black 

 «pot below each eye, on the meeting edges of the 5th and 6th lahial 

 platės ; a black line from the back of the eye to the angle of the 

 mouth, and a black band from the side of each occipital plate to the 

 sides of the neck, where it ends abruptly. 



Along the sides, for the anterior half of the body, a small whitish 

 spot occurs at regular intervals, with a broad black spot below it ; 

 these marks become fainter and fainter, and at length disappear. 

 The centrai line of the back, from the neck to the middle of the 

 bodv, pale brown. . 



Abdomen yellowish vvhite, becoming dusky as it proceeds ; the 

 posterior portion and the under surface of the tail being a little 

 paler than the ground colour of the upper surface. 



Length of head and body 1 1 



Length of tail ^ ^5 



