1861,] DR. W. PETERS ON AN ASIATIC SNAKE. 49 



but his specimen seems to have been very young, according to the 

 dimensions he has given. 



A few years later, in 1841, apparently the same snake was described 

 and figured by Eichwald (Fauna Caspio-caucasica, p. 123, t. 29) 

 under the name of Coelopeltis vermiculata, from the western shores 

 of the Caspian Sea. At least, the number of the longitudinal rows 

 of scales, seventeen, agrees with Chorisodon, and not with Coelopeltis 

 lacertina, which has nineteen rows of scales. Yet I have some 

 doubts of their identity, the general form of Eichwald's species being 

 more like that of the latter. 



The examination of the teeth of the three Berlin specimens shows 

 no free space between the maxillary teeth, as described by Bibron ; 

 but they form a continued row, excepting the hinder furrowed ones, 

 which are separated, as usual, by a small interval from the rest. 

 There are (fig. 5) first seven very small teeth, only loosely attached 

 to the maxillary bone, then three very long and strong ones, followed 

 again by four smaller ones. Bibron found a free space in front of 

 the longer teeth, because the two small ones before them were de- 

 tached. 



The nine palatine and fourteen pterygoidal teeth are still smaller, 

 decreasing in size from the front palatal tooth. It is therefore very 

 fortunate that Brandt's name has the priority, as neither Bibron's 

 " Monodiastema" nor Dumeril's " Chorisodon" would be very suit- 

 able appellations for this form. The lower jaw has on each side 

 eighteen teeth ; they increase very rapidly from the first to the fourth, 

 which is followed by fourteen smaller ones. Bibron counts twenty- 

 five ; I might have found the same number, or more, if I had rec- 

 koned the changing teeth on the inner side. The form of the trans- 

 versal and pterygoidal bone is the same as in Coelopeltis, and not as 

 in Psammophis (moniliffer). 



I can hardly add anything to the external description given by 

 Lichtenstein and Bibron. The front part of the frontal (vertical) 

 plate is either straight, or it forms a very obtuse angle ; the loreal is 

 curved a little (see fig. 2) ; and all the specimens have nine upper and 

 ten lower labials. One specimen has 192 abdominal scuta and 103 

 pairs of subcaudal scales; the second 189 abdominal scuta and 90 

 pairs of snbcandal scales ; the third 189 and 99. All have the anal 

 plate divided, and seventeen longitudinal rows of scales. All have 

 four large dark olive-coloured ban Js and a smaller middle one on the 

 head. In one, all four bands continue to the end of the tail ; the 

 second shows, as described by Bibron, no lateral bands, but three rows 

 of small dark spots on the dorsal part ; and the third has neither 

 lateral nor dorsal strokes, the head-bands being lost on the neck. 

 One of them has the lips and the under part of the head yellow, and 

 without any spots ; in the two others the labials and the chin are 

 dotted with black. All have the middle of the abdominal scuta 

 dotted with black, and a black longitudinal stroke on their external 

 parts, which forms on each side an uninterrupted line to the end of 

 the tail. The rest of the under side is yellowish, but appears to have 

 been during life of a red colour. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1861, No. IV. 



