96 SYNOPSES AND DESCRIPTIONS. 
NINIA SIEBOLDI. 
ELAPIopeEs steBoup! Jan., 1862, Prodr. Icon. Gén. Ophid., HH, 21, 
Elongate, subcylindrieal, belly flattened; head not distinct from neck, 
subconical, slightly depressed, narrowed in front; tail short, conical. Kye 
small, pupil round. Head-shields nine. Internasals very small. Pre- 
frontals large. Frontal broader than long, supraciliaries much shorter. 
Rostral small, little broader than high. Nasal divided. Anteorbital and 
loreal fused. One postorbital. Labials six, third and fourth in orbit, 
fifth largest; in the specimen figured it is in contact with the parietal. 
Infralabials seven, fourth largest. A pair of submentals, followed by 
large shields. Scales lustrous, iridescent, carinate in the dorsal rows to 
the tail, in 17 series, outer broader and smooth. Ventrals 146—154. 
Anal entire. Subcaudals 34—38 pairs. 
Dark brown to black. Belly and throat white. Subcaudals darker at 
the bases. Outer row of scales marked with lighter. Labials and infra- 
labials little lighter than top of head. (Jan.) Mexico. 
NINIA DIADEMATA. 
Baird & Girard, 1853, Cat. N. A. Serp., 49. 
All the upper portion of the trunk deep black; with a white collar; all 
the ventrals black in their central portion and margined with white, form- 
ing thus two white lateral bands. Labials six, third and fourth in orbit. 
Rather more slender than other Niniae. Scales in 19 rows. Ventrals 
145. Anal entire. Subcaudals 89 pairs. 
The essential colors are the deep black and the pure white. Thus the 
under side of the head and the neck, which seems to be encircled by a 
collar, are of a beautiful white, as also the sides of the belly and tail where 
it forms a fine lateral band. The black covers the remainder of the body. 
The head is twice as long as wide. Total length 0", 347; tail 0", 067. 
Mexico. (B. & G.) 
VIRGINIA. 
Baird & Girard, 1858. 
Rather small; body stout; belly broad; head distinet from the neck, 
subconical, depressed; tail short, thick, tapering to a point. Eye medium, 
pupil round. Crown-shields eight or nine. Internasals two or one. Nostril 
anterior, in the anterior portion of the divided nasal. Loreal and anteor- 
