429 



FIERCE SNAKE. 



Coluber Atrox. C. griseus, fasciis transversis linearibus albidis, 



abdomine fusco albo transversim variato. 

 Grey-brown Snake, with transverse linear whitish stripes, 'ind 



dusky abdomen with white transverse variegations. 

 Coluber Atrox. Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 388. Mm. Ad. Frid. p. 33. 



t. 22. f. 2. 

 Abdominal scuta 196, subcaudal scales 69. 



THIS, according to Linnaeus, is a small species, 

 measuring about a foot and a half in length, and 

 of a grey colour, marbled beneath with transverse 

 alternate deep brown spots : the head is depressed, 

 compressed, and covered with very small scales, 

 which, as well as the larger ones on the rest of the 

 animal, are carinated. In the Museum Adolphi 

 Friderici, p. 33. this species is, by a mistake, in- 

 scribed angulatus, while the figure, on plate 22 of 

 that work, represents the body marked by several 

 distant, narrow, transverse whitish bands reach- 

 ing to the abdomen, which is spotted with small, 

 round, white specks : the dusky transverse spots 

 appearing only beneath the tail: the general co- 

 lour of the abdomen, however, in this snake is 

 rather deep brown or blackish, beautifully varie- 

 gated or marbled by numerous narrow transverse 

 bands, accompanied here and there with small 

 spots : the tail is remarkably short and slender. 

 In the Systema Naturae a mistaken reference ap- 

 pears to be made to a figure in Seba representing 

 a very different species. The C. atrox is a poison- 

 ous snake, and is a native of the island of Ceylon. 



