in the Collection of the British Museum. 21 



provided with exceedingly strong keels, whilst the keels are 

 rather slight in the two others. 



This species is allied to 8p. poecilonotus^ which has the 

 preeocular separated from the vertical by a considerable inter- 

 space. 



Zamenophis (g. n. Colubrin.). 



Body rather elongate, with angular abdomen ; back flat ; 

 tail of moderate length ; ventral shields 200 or more in num- 

 ber, obtusely keeled on the sides ; head flat ; eye of moderate 

 size, with round pupil. Shields of the head normal; two 

 prgeoculars. Scales smooth, in seventeen series, without pores. 

 Anal entire ; subcaudals two-rowed. The last maxillary tooth 

 or teeth larger than, and separated by a very short interspace 

 from the others. 



North Australia. 



This is a new addition to the small number of innocuous 

 snakes of Australia. It cannot be placed among the Coronel- 

 line forms having a distinctly compressed abdomen with an- 

 gular ventral shields. Among the Colubrina it approaches 

 most nearly to Zamenis^ as far as technical characters are 

 concerned. But its physiognomy is very different ; and the 

 true Zamenis having its geographical limits so well defined, I 

 have availed myself of the (technical) character of the entire 

 anal shield for distinguishing this Australian snake as a new 

 generic type. 



Zamenophis australis. 



Head flat, as in Coronella. The rostral is rounded, with 

 the posterior angle extending on the upper surface of the head 

 and entering between the two frontals. Anterior frontals 

 about one third the size of posterior. Vertical pentagonal, 

 with the lateral margins nearly parallel, and with a right angle 

 behind, longer than broad. Occipitals narrower and rounded 

 behind, as long as the vertical and posterior frontals together. 

 Nostril open in the anterior nasal ; loreal as large as inferior 

 prgeocular ; the upper prseocular does not reach the vertical ; 

 two postoculars ; nine upper labials, the fourth and fifth en- 

 tering the orbit. Temporal shields in two longitudinal series : 

 two elongate ones in the upper series, and three shorter ones 

 in the lower. Two pairs of chin-shields equal in size. Scales 

 short, polished. Ventrals 204 ; subcaudals 79. Upper parts 

 uniform brownish black ; lateral scales with the apex of a 

 lighter colour ; lower parts uniform brownish yellow, each 

 ventral with a brownish spot at the lateral corner. 



Cape York. Total length 24 inches ; tail 5^ inches. 



