214 REPTILES. 



arranged in numerous cross bands ; crown of head nearly uniform 

 brown. 



a. Adult. New Holland. Presented by the Earl of Derby. 



2. HOPLOCEPHALUS VARIEGATUS. 



Alecto variegata, Dum. Sf Bibr. p. 1254. Najae bungaroidis 

 specimen, donne par M. Keraudren, Schleg. Ess. ii. p. 577- 



Scales in twenty-one rows. Above black, irregularly spotted 

 with white ; head above with two white cross bands. 



Hab. New Holland. 



3. HOPLOCEPHALUS PALLIDICEPS. 



Scales in fifteen rows ; second and third upper labial shields 

 truncated above. Blackish olive; head lighter; scales of the 

 outer rows with yellowish apex. 



a, b. Adult. Port Essington. Presented by the Earl of Derby, 

 c. Half-grown. N.E. Australia. 



Description. — Body rather elongate, rounded ; tail rather 

 short, not very distinct from trunk, tapering ; head somewhat 

 similar to that of Glyphodon unicolor, rather depressed, with 

 broad, flat crown, hardly distinct from neck ; muzzle rather short, 

 broad, rounded in froDt ; eye small, pupil subelliptical. Rostral 

 moderate, reaching the surface of head ; anterior frontals mode- 

 rate, broader than long, rounded in front ; posterior frontals 

 rather large, five-sided, each with two hinder edges, forming 

 together a right angle ; vertical six-sided, longer than broad, 

 with parallel outer edges, an obtuse angle in front and an acute 

 one behind; occipitals moderate, sometimes rather elongate, 

 sometimes obtuse and rounded behind ; superciliary moderate ; 

 two posterior oculars, one anterior, just reaching the surface of 

 crown. This species differs somewhat from the other Hoplocephali 

 in the shields replacing the loreal ; the second and third upper 

 labials, being truncated above, do not participate in replacing it. 

 Nasal rather elongate, sharply pointed behind, pierced by the 

 nostril ; six upper labials. Scales moderate, rhomboid, in fifteen 

 rows ; anal entire. Grooved longer tooth in front, a series of 

 smaller ones behind. Above uniform blackish olive, beneath 

 uniform yellowish ; centre of each subcaudal with an obsolete, 

 dark spot ; scales of the outer rows with yellowish apex ; head 

 uniform light brownish olive. . 



This species is viviparous : in the oviduct of the specimen, the 

 measurements of which are stated, I found two perfectly deve- 

 loped embryos. Length of cleft of mouth -jV ; length of tail 

 3" ; total length 24". 



