PYTHON NATALENSIS.— Smith. 



Reptilia. — Plate IX. 



P. capite superne macula olivaceo-brunnea sagittiformi notato ; capitis lateribus subflavis, linea longitudi- 

 nali olivacea maculaque colons ejusdem iufra oculos variatis; dorso, lateribusque olivaceo-brunneis, 

 maculis, striis, fasciis-que pallide flavo-brunneis variegatis ; et caud;e lateribus fascia longitudinali 

 nudata eodem coloris ; infra purpureo-album ; labii superioris scutis quatuor, duabus utrinque 

 proximis scuto nasali, emarginatis foraminibus formantibus, corporis squamis parvis et in lineis 

 obliquis collocatis. 



Longitudo corporis cum capite 10 ped. 11 una ; caudae 16 unc* 



Python Natale.nsis, Smith. — South African Quarterly Journal, new series, p. 64. Oct. 1 833. 



Colour, &c. Though the colours of this snake are distinctly marked, yet 

 the mode in which they are distributed, will require to be apprehended more 

 from the coloured figure, than the letter-press description. The principal 

 tints with which it is marked, are three — dark olive brown, dull yellowish 

 brown, and purplish white, — the two first colours are confined to the upper 

 and lateral parts ; the last to the lower portions of the sides and belly. The 

 dull yellowish brown, is perhaps the predominating colour on the first third of 

 the reptile ; and the olive brown by much the most abundant on the other 

 two-thirds. On the top of the head, reaching from the nose to the occiput, is 

 an arrow-shaped spot of the latter colour ; and from that spot, posteriorly, a 

 band of the same hue extends along the back, gradually widening as it pro- 

 ceeds, and having its edges on each side waved, or irregularly scolloped. On 

 this band, reaching the commencement of the second third of the body, its 

 width increases greatly ; and in this enlarged form, it extends to the tip of 

 the tail ; its edges throughout much waved. The yellowish brown occurs in 

 the form of irregular bars, or of waved blotches, or stripes on the first thirds 

 of the back, and on the last two-thirds, in the shape of stripes or blotches in 

 the olive-brown, excepting towards and on the tail, where it assumes the form 

 of a waved, longitudinal band on each side. The sides of the head are yel- 

 lowish-brown ; and each side is marked with a longitudinal olive-brown 



* Specimens of a much greater size are occasionally obtained. 



