178 A netc genus of Serjjeuta, d^V. 



left side, for instance, in an oblique direction downwards, till If 

 reaches the upper part of the back ; from thence forwards, on 

 the right side, also in an oblique direction, forming a kind of 

 chevron : the succeeding spots are placed in a reversed posi- 

 tion, so that the legs of the two chevrons nearly meet, and the 

 light-coloured spot, which is inclosed in these two chevrons, 

 forms an irregular rhombus, the smaller diagonal running in 

 the direction of the spine, and having in the middle a dark spot. 

 There is also a dark spot in the triangular spots, which is form- 

 ed by the external sides of two rhombi and the abdominal 

 plates. The sides of these rhombi are not rectilinear, but run 

 in an irregular zigzag manner. 



This arrangement of colour does not extend over the whole 

 body; the blackish or dark colour forming here and there 

 merely stripes, though, throughout the whole, the rhomboidal 

 tendency prevails. The upper surface of the tail is uniformly 

 black. 



The colour of the lower part of the body is of a dirty white, 

 or gray, variegated with brownish black. Two elongated 

 brown spots run from the sides of the lower lip over about one 

 fourth part of the head, while the middle of the head is of the 

 white colour before mentioned. About half way up the mouth 

 begins another brov/n spot, which runs somewhat in a curve ; 

 and becoming move and more light, is lost under the neck : by 

 which arrangement the borders of the upper and under lip 

 continue in a white elongated spot, which runs as far as the 

 extremity of the us articidare of the lower jaw ; the middle of 

 the head being entirely white, while the triangular plate on the 

 tip of the lip is dark gray. 



The distribution of the spots over the abdominal plates is 

 very irregular. The upper part of these plates, where they are 

 in contact with the scales, may be considered as blackish brown 

 with white spots, which originate at the scales and seldom reach 

 . the middle of the belly — sometimes two plates being white, 

 sometimes three. In the middle of the body the white, or ra- 

 ther the gray, predominates : the dark spots are very large or 



