SNAKES. 187 



shields, a single small one in contact viith both oculars. Scales 

 smooth, rather short, rhomboid, in seventeen rows ; ventral plates 

 flat, with rounded sides ; anal entire ; subcaudals one-rowed. 

 Posterior maxillar\' teeth longest, grooved, anterior ones equal in 

 length; palatine teeth equal; anterior teeth of lower jaw larger 

 than the remainder. Above brownish red, sides of posterior part 

 of body and tail blackish ohve ; on the anterior part of back some 

 black, oblong transverse spots, largest on the neck, white-edged; 

 a yellow streak from the lower posterior angle of eye to the side 

 of neck ; beneath yellowish, with a punctated line on each side. 

 Length of cleft of mouth f " ; length of tail 2" ; total length 1 1 1". 



2. ScYTALE, Boie. 



Body and tail moderate, rather elongate, rounded ; head mode- 

 rate, rather broad, flat above ; snout rounded, rather elongate ; 

 nostril between two shields ; ])upil subeUiptical ; shields of head 

 regular ; one loreal, one anterior, two posterior oculars. Scales 

 smooth ; ventral plates noi recurved on the sides ; subcaudals 

 one-rowed ; one posterior maxillary tooth longer and furrowed, 

 anterior teeth nearly equal in length. South America. 



Scytale, Dum. Sf Bibr. vii. p. 996. Lycodon cloeha, var., 

 ScJileg. Ess. ii. p. 114. Sc5tale, Wagl. Syst. Amph. p. 18/ ; 

 fVied, Abhildg.SfBeitr. ; Gray, Synops. p. 17 ; Boie, Isis, 1827. 

 Scytale, sp., Merr. Tent. p. 91. 



1. Scytale coronatum. 



On the hinder part of the body or on the tail, the scales of the 

 vertebral row larger. 



Var. A. Scytale coronatum, Dum. Sf Bibr. vii. p. 999. Pseu- 

 doboa coronata, Schneid. Hist. Amph. p. 286, Boa coronata, 

 Daud. Hist. Rept. v. 220. Scytale coronata, Merr. Tent. p. 91 ; 

 Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 517 ; Cuvier, Regne Anim. ; Wagl. Syst. Amph. 

 p. 187; Gray, Syn. p. 17. Lycodon cloeha, var., Schleg. Ess. 

 pi. 4. f. 12, 13. 



Head and neck black, with a white collar. 



* Head short, rounded in front ; hinder angle of the rostral 

 shield obtuse, not reaching between the frontals. 



a. Adult. Brazil. From Dr. Gardiner's Collection. 



b. Adult. Rio Janeiro. Presented by A. Fry, Esq. 



c. Adult : head injured. Cayenne. Presented by H. C. Rothery, 



Esq. 



d. Youngr. Caraccas. 



