MOURNING SNAKE. 453 



the Coluber Natrix or Ringed Snake, as well as 

 to the Coluber Atrovirens. In its manners it 

 is perfectly innocent. It has been long ago de- 

 scribed and figured in the work of Aldrovandus 

 under the same title by which it is distinguished 

 by the Count de Cepede. 



MOURNING SNAKE. 



Coluber Pullatus. C. supra nigcr albo variatus, infra albus ni- 



gro variatus. 

 Snake with the body black above, with white variegations, and 



white beneath with black variegations. 

 Coluber Pullatus. Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 382. 

 Abdominal scuta 217> subcaudal scales 208. 



A LARGE species, often measuring six feet in 

 length: habit rather slender than thick; the ge- 

 neral proportions resembling those of the Coluber 

 Matrix, except that the tail is somewhat less slen- 

 der: head covered in front with large scaly plates; 

 the remainder of the animal on the upper parts 

 with large 'and slightly carinated scales: general 

 colour black, with white variegations, often dif- 

 ferently disposed in different specimens : abdomen 

 commonly white, marked here and there with nar- 

 row black bars : sometimes the colours are so dis- 

 posed that either the black or white might with 

 equal propriety be termed the ground-colour : the 

 head is generally white, and the lips barred with 

 black. Several varieties of the Coluber pullatus ap- 

 pear to be figured in the work of Seba; though it can 



