SNAKES. 93 



Kept. vi. p, 339. Coluber eremita, Eichw. Zool. Spec. iii. p. 1/4. 

 Coluber trabalis, Schleg. I.e. p. 167. Coluber mseoticus, (Pall.) 

 Rathke,Acad. de St. Peiersb. iii. p. 433. Coluber poecilocephalus, 

 Brandt, Revue Zool. de Guerin-Meneville, iii. p. 302. Coelopeltis 

 dione, Eichw. Fauna Caspio-Caucas. pi. 28. Elaphis dione, 

 Dum. 8f Bibr. p. 248. 



Scales in twenty-five rows, those on the back weakly keeled ; 

 anal bifid; eight upper labials, the fourth and fifth coming into 

 the orbit, the fifth forming only a small part of the hinder edge 

 of orbit (cf. Zamenis caudcelineatus). Coloration liable to great 

 variation. Greyish or brown, either with three series of darker 

 irregular spots (as in our specimens) or with paler longitudinal 

 bands. Head always with symmetrical marks, a black streak 

 from the back edge of eye to the angle of mouth ; neck with two 

 sometimes confluent brown spots. 



a. Adult. Caucasus. 



b. Adult. China? Presented by Captain Sir Edward Belcher. 



2. Elaphis sauromates. 



Coluber sauromates, Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso- Asiat. iii. p. 42 \ 

 Eichw. Zool. Spec. iii. p. 174; Nordm. Voy. Russ. Mirid. par 

 A. Demidoff, Rept. pi. 7 (probably with anomalous head shields). 

 Elaphis pareyssii, Fitz. in Wagler's Icones, t. 25. Tropidonotus 

 sauromates, Eichw. Fauna Caspio-Caucas. pi. 25. f. 1, 2. Elaphis 

 sauromates, Dum. 8f Bibr. p. 288. 



Scales in twenty-three rows, strongly keeled ; anal bifid. 

 Two or three anterior, two posterior oculars ; yellowish brown 

 with indistinct, irregular, black cross bands; ventral plates 

 whitish, black-edged. 



a. Adult. Ningpo, China. From Mr. Cuming's Collection. 



Our specimen agrees pretty well with the description and figure 

 in Wagler's Icones, but it difi'ers in having only eight upper 

 labials, the third and fourth coming into the orbit, and in having 

 no temple-streak. 



3. Elaphis quaterradiatus. 



Elaphis cervone, Aldrovandi, Serp. Drac. Hist. p. 267; Lacep. 

 Quadr. Ovip. Serp. ii. p. 163; Bonnat. Ophiol.p.44. Coluber 

 quaterradiatus, Gmel. in Naturf. x. pi. 3. f. 1 ; Schleg. Ess. pi. 6. 

 f. 9, 10. Coluber quadrilineatus, Latr. Rept. iv. p. 52 ; Daud. 

 Rept. vi. p. 266. Coluber elaphis, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 450 ; Cuv. 



