54, ZAMENIS. 411 
contact with the frontal; two postoculars, with a subocular below ; 
three anterior temporals; ten upper labials, fourth and fifth 
entering the eye. Scales ‘perfectly smooth, in 31 rows. Ventrals 
distinctly angulate laterally, 245-254 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 84. 
Above greyish or reddish, with a dorsal series of X-shaped dark 
spots, and, on each side, a series of light round spots; flanks with 
small brown spots ; head with symmetrical dark markings. 
Total length 735 millim. ; tail about one fifth of the total. 
Bakel, Upper Senegal. 
29. Zamenis diadema. 
Russell, Ind. Serp. ii. pl. xxx. (1801); Geoffr. Descr. Egypte, Rept. 
Ls viii. fig. 1 (1809). 
Coluber leche ( Opp.), Wagl. Syst. Amph, p. 189 (1830). 
—— diadema, Schleg. pigs. Serp. f p. 148 (1837). 
—— cliffordii, Schle p. 163, pl. vi. figs. 18 ® 14. 
eins a ase), 5, bag § Bibr. vii. p. 678 (1854) ; Jan, Icon. Gén. 
ii. 
pee eli ordii, Giinth. Cat. p. 104 (1858) ; Strauch, Erp. Alg. 
p. 61 (1862), and Schlang. pi R. p. 105 (1873); Blanf. Proe. 
Zool. Soe. 1881, p. 679. 
—— diadema, Giinth. Rept. Brit. oe ee 1. xxi. fig. G (1864) ; 
Anders, Proce. Zool. Soc. 1871, ; Stoliczka, Proc. As. Soc. 
Beng. 1872, p. 82 ; Blanf. Zool. U3 Per Pers. p. 412 (1876), and Journ, 
As. Soe. Beng. xlviii. i679, p. 125; Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 377 
(1884); Fischer, Jahresb. Hamb. Wiss. Anst. ii, 1885, p. 102; 
Boettg. Zool. Jahrb. iii. 1888, aig 925; Bouleng. Faun. Ind. , Rept. 
p. 328 (1890), and Tr. Zool xiii. 1891, p. 148. 
Periops —” var. schirazana, Jan, in pb Filippi, Viagg. Pers. 
356 (1865) 
Tananie (Periops) versicolor, Boetty. in Kobelt, Reisen Alg. Tunis, 
p. 458 (1885). 
Rostral as deep as broad of a little broader than deep, visible 
from above; prefrontals usually broken up into several shields, 
there being frequently three transverse series of shields between the 
rostral and the frontal; frontal once and one fourth to once and a 
half as long as broad, as long as or slightly shorter than its distance 
from the end of the snout, and usually shorter than the parietals ; 
loreals three to five; two to four (rarely one) prwoculars, the 
upper usually in contact with the frontal; three or four postoculars ; 
a series of suboculars separate the labials from the eye; temporals 
small and numerous, scale-like ; ten to thirteen upper labials ; five 
. lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are 
nearly as longas the posterior. Scales usuall#*more or less obtusely 
keeled, in 25 to 33 rows. Ventrals usually obtusely angulate 
laterally, 210-278 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 65-110. Pale buff or 
sandy grey above, with more or less marked dark spots, of which the 
median usually form a series of rhombs ; lower parts white, rarely 
with small blackish spots. A variety (atriceps, Fischer) occurs in 
Northern India, which is release. for having the head entirely 
