64 OUE EEPTILES. 



It never attains a great length, the maximum 

 being scarcely two feet. " The head is but 

 slightly distinct from the body; the tail short 

 and strong at the base ; the eyes small ; the 

 rostral plate presses much upon the muzzle, and 

 is of a triangular form, with its top pointed; 

 there are seven labial plates on the upper lip on 

 each side, the third and fourth of which touch 

 upon the eye ; the scales of the body are smooth, 

 rhomboid, in nineteen longitudinal rows. The 

 plates on the belly number from 160 to 164; 

 those on the under surface of the tail from sixty 

 to sixty-four pairs. The upper maxillary teeth 

 are on the same line with the others, and longer. 

 The upper parts are greenish-brown, with two 

 parallel rows of black markings along the back, 

 more distinct towards the head than in the hinder 

 portion; sometimes the spots on the back are 

 small and few in number. The lower parts have 

 a lighter ground-colour, but are often much 

 darkened by black markings."* We have been 

 more prolix in this description than otherwise 

 we should have been ; but it is desirable that a 

 minute detail of the chief features of this snake 

 should be disseminated in order that it may be 

 recognized and recorded, so as more fully to 

 establish it as a truly indigenous species. 



* The Zoologist, p. 6731. 



