On a new Snake from Northern China. 243 



XXI. — Description of a new Snake of the Genus Coluber 

 from Northern China. By G. A. BOULENGER, F.R.8. 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) 



Two years ago I described in these ' Annals ' (xiii. 1914, 

 p. 576) a new and very distinct species of Coluber discovered 

 by Mr. A. L. Hall at Chihfeng, N.E. Cliihli Province, which 

 I named C. halli. Mr. Hall has since been so kind as to 

 send a second series o£ snakes from the same locality, and 

 this includes, in addition to five further specimens of C. halli, 

 a single specimen of another species which I regard as new 

 and of wliich I here offer a description. 



The additional specimens of 0. halli show the following 

 variation in the number of scales and shields : — 



(S 23 scales. 172 ventrals. 69 subcauclals. 



$ 25 „ 181 „ 63 „ 



„ 23 „ 179 „ 64 „ 



Yg 23 „ 171 „ 65 „ 



„ 23 „ 171 „ 69 „ 



The formula for the seven known specimens is therefore — 



Sc. 23-25. V. 171-181. A. 2. C. 58-69. 



Coluber anomalns. 



Snout rounded, scarcely prominent ; canthus rostralis very 

 obtuse, loreal region slightly concave; eye rather small, one- 

 third length of snout. Rostral much broader than deep, just 

 visible from above ; internasals as long as broad, as long as 

 the praifrontals ; frontal as long as broad, two-thirds its 

 distance from the end of the snout, three-fifths the length of 

 the parietals ; loreal longer than deep ; piseocular single, 

 no subocular below it ; two postoculars ; temporals 2 + 3 or 4 ; 

 seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; four 

 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which 

 are a little longer than the posterior. Scales in 22 rows, 

 dorsals feebly but very distinctly keeled, laterals smooth. 

 Ventrals not augulate laterally, 212; anal divided; sub- 

 caudals mostly single, 65. Dark brown above; a large 

 blotch on the neck and a streak behind the eye black ; hinder 

 part of body and tail with rather irregular black cross-bars; 

 lower parts white, with greyish spots anteriorly ; subcaudals 

 edged with brown. 



