NAJA H^MACHATES.— Auct. 



Reptilia. Plate XXXIV. 



N. supra nigro-brunnea, fasciis rufo-flavis, irregularibus, variegatis; infra livido-nigra, antice fasciis 

 duabus tribusve transversis, notatis ; squamis fortiter carinatis. 



Longitudo e naso ad caudae apicem, inter 2 et 3 pedes. 



Vipera ELemachates, Datul. Sola. Latreil. 

 Sepedon II.emaciiates, Merr. Wagler. 



Naja Capensis, Smith. 



Ring hals Slang of the Cape Colonists. 



Colour. — The ground colour of the upper and lateral parts either blueish 

 brown or greyish brown, and variegated with a great number of narrow, jag- 

 ged, or serrated and waved transverse bands, varying in tint from ochre yellow 

 to light yellowish white. The space between the rami of the lower jaw, together 

 with the throat, livid black or dull brownish red ; the remainder of the under 

 parts livid greyish black, crossed anteriorly with two or three broad transverse 

 bars of a yellow or rusty white colour, and laterally variegated with irregular 

 white spots. On the body the dark colour predominates greatly, but on the 

 tail the two tints are almost in equal proportions, and disposed nearly in 

 complete rings. Eyes dark brown. 



Variety. — Ground colour dull blackish brown, crossed with numerous, 

 narrow, deep blueish brown bars, only distinctly visible when the surface of 

 the skin is cleared of impurities either with a moist cloth or a wet sponge. 

 Until such cleansing shall have been practised the snake appears of an 

 uniform dull blackish brown tint. 



Form. — Figure rather robust. Head scarcely broader than the neck, above 

 flat, anteriorly rather narrow, and the upper lips protrude beyond the edge of 

 the upper surface of the head, hence the eyes appear rather sunk, giving 

 a malignant and savage expression. Nostrils large, and open backwards and 

 outwards ; no frenal scale ; rostral plate triangular, its upper angle entering 

 deeply between the anterior frontal plates ; postocular scales three, anteocular 

 scale one ; temporal plates large and irregularly shaped. Neck depressed 



