186 



COLUBRID.E. 



stout; scales as broad as long, smooth, without apical pits, in 15 

 rows ; ventrals rounded. Tail rather short ; subcauduls in two rows. 

 South America. 



1 . Dimades plicatilis. 



Coluber plicatilis, Linn. Mus. Ad. Frid. p. 23, pi. vi. fig. 1 (1754), 



and S. N. i. p. 370 (1706) ; Daud. Rept. vii. p. 193 (1803). 

 Cerastes plicatilis, Laur. Sun. Rept. p. 81 (17<'>> i. 

 Elaps plicatilis, Schneid. Hist. Amph. ii. p. 294 (1801). 

 Pseudoeryx daudini, Ftizing. N. Class. Rept. p. 65 (1820). 

 Ilomalopsis plicatilis, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 551. 

 plicatilis, part., Schlcg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 353, pi. xiii. figs. 21 & 



22 (1837). 



Dimades plicatilis, Gray, Zool. Misc. p.65 (1842), and Cat. p. 76 (1849). 

 Calopisma plicatile, Ditm. fy Bibr. vii. p. 344 (1854); Jan, Arch. 



Zool. Anat. Phys. iii. 1865, p. 242, and Icon. G6n. 29, pi. v. tiffs. 2 & 3 



(1868). 



Snout very short, rounded ; rostral broader than deep, just visible 

 from above, in contact with the nasal fissure ; nasals in contact 

 behind the rostral ; internasals small, rhomboidal, at least twice as 

 broad as long ; frontal twice to twice and a half as long as broad, 

 longer than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the 

 parietals ; one prae- and two postoculars ; temporals 1 + 2 ; eight 

 upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; four lower labials 

 in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are as long as or a 

 little longer than the posterior. Scales in 15 rows. Ventrals 

 129-140; anal divided ; subcan dais 32-51. Brown above, uniform 

 or with two rows of small black spots ; a black lateral band, with a 

 series of small whitish spots ; a black streak on each side of the 

 head, passing through the eye ; lips yellowish, spotted or ver- 

 miculated with brown ; belly yellowish with black dots, which may 

 form regular longitudinal series ; a series of large black dots runs 

 along each side of the belly, on the first row of scales, and is con- 

 tinued on the subcaudals. 



Total length 920 millim. ; tail 120. 



Guianas, Brazil. 



a. $ (V. 137 ; C. 36). British Guiana. 



b, c. c? (V. 135 ; C. 46) British Guiana. Demerara Museum. 

 & $ (V. 140 ; C. 36). 



d. d (V. 132 ; C. 47). Berbice. 



e. Hgr. (V. 129 ; C. 51). Para. 



/. Hgr. (V. 131 ; C. 46). ? College of Surgeons [P.]. 



86. HYDROPS. 



Hydrops, Wagler, Syst. Amph. p. 170 (!&%) ; Gray, Cat. Sn. p. 75 



(1849) ; Dum. 8f Bibr. Erp. G6n. vii. p. 482 (1854). 

 Homalopsis, part., Schleq. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 297 (1837). 

 Higina, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 07 (1842), and Cat. Sn. p. 75. 

 Calopisma, part., Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. iii. 1865, p. 241. 



Maxillary teeth 14 or 15, gradually increasing in size ; man- 

 dibular teeth subequal. Head small, not distinct from neck ; 03 e 

 very small, with round pupil ; nostril directed upward, in a semi- 



