SNAKES. 101 



deeply cleft. Rostral shield much broader than high, very ob- 

 tuse above, just reaching the surface of head ; anterior frontals 

 short, much broader behind than in front ; posterior ones much 

 larger; vertical five-sided, very broad in front, with an obtuse 

 angle behind, and convergent, very concave lateral edges ; super- 

 ciliaries posteriorly very broad; occipitals short, small, obtuse 

 behind. Anterior ocular large, raised on the surface of head, but 

 not reaching the verticil ; two posterior oculars ; one loreal ; two 

 large nasals, nostril between ; nine upper labials, fourth, fifth 

 and sixth forming the lower edge of orbit ; scales in twenty-one 

 or twenty-three rows, those of the dorsal rows keeled ; keels of 

 the three medial rows excessively strong. Scales rather elon- 

 gate, much imbricate, especially on the neck ; ventral plates 

 raised on the sides ; anal entire. Above uniform brown, except 

 some scales of the medial row, which are yellow with black tip ; 

 head yellow and brown variegated ; belly anteriorly uniform 

 yellowish, ventral plates black-edged about the middle of body, 

 posteriorly entirely black. Length of cleft of mouth If" ; length 

 of tail 18"; total length 5' 3". 



7. Zamenis, Wagler. 



Body and tail elongate, rounded, sometimes very slender ; head 

 with flat crown, rounded muzzle and moderate rostral shield ; 

 shields of head have a tendency to divide in two and more 

 pieces. Loreal entire, or divided"; generally two anterior and 

 two posterior oculars ; eye sometimes surrounded by separated 

 pieces of the upper labials. Scales smooth or slightly keeled. 

 Posterior maxillary tooth longest, not grooved, anterior ones 

 equal in length. From the shores of the Mediterranean through 

 the whole continent of Asia. 



Zamenis and Periops, Wagler, Nat. Syst. Amph. pp. 188, 189 ; 

 Dunn. 8f Bibr. vii. pp 674, 683. Coluber, sp., Linn. Syst. Nat. 

 i. p. 389; Laurenti, Syn. p. 77; Lacep, Quadr. Ovip. Serp. 

 p. 320 ; Latr. Rept. iv. p. 88, &c. ; Daud. Rept. vi. viii. ; Merr. 

 Tent. p. 105 ; Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-As. p. 42; Shaw, Zool. p. 518 ; 

 Gray, bid. Zool.; Eichw. Faun. Caspio-Caucas. p. 113; Bonap. 

 Amph. Eur. p. 46, and Faun. Ital. ; Schleg. Ess. ii. p. 525. 

 Psammophis, sp., Schleg. I. c. p. 215. Tyria, sp., Fitz. Neue 

 Class, p. 60; Eichw. Faun. Caspio-Caucas.; Bonap. Faun. Ital. 

 Natrix, sp., Boie, Isis, 182/, p. 537; Wagl. Nov. Serp. Bras. 

 Ha^morrhois, Boie, I. c. p. 538. 



1. Zamenis atrovirens. 



Anguis /Esculapii niger, Aldrovundi, Serp. lib. i. cap. xvi.p. 263; 

 Lacep. Hist. Nat Quadr. Ovip. Serp. ii. pi. 6. f. 1 ; Bonnat. 



