] 909.] OPHIDIAN GENUS GRAYIA. 949 



(rarely eight through division of the last *), seventh (if xindivided) 

 as long as the three preceding combined, fourth entering the eye ; 

 four or five lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, 

 which are shorter than the posterior. Scales in 17 rows on 

 the body, in 6 or 4 rows on the greater part of the tail. Yentrals 

 145-168; anal divided; subcaudals 89-102. 



Text-fig. 297. 



Head of Graxjia smyfhii. 



Coloration of young. — Dark brown or black cross-bai's, each 

 occupying 4 or 5 transverse series of scales on the upper part 

 of the body, separated by narrow whitish or pale brown lines, 

 less than a scale in width ; these bands taper to a point or are 

 rounded ofi" at the sides, where they stand out boldly on the 

 white colour which extends from the ventrals to the lower rows 

 of scales ; head pale brown above, upper lip white, the sutures 

 between the shields dark brown or black ; lower surface of head 

 and body white, with or without a more or less regular seiies of 

 small black spots on each side ; lower surface of tail white, with a 

 brown or black zigzag medinn line corresponding to the junction of 

 the pairs of subcaudals. The dark cross-bars on the body number 

 36 to 39. 



Changes with age. — The brown or black cross-bars of the young- 

 become generally lighter with age, turning to olive, greyish olive 

 or brown, retaining the dark colour on their edges, so as often to 

 form a zigzag line along each side, corresponding to the angles of 

 the extremities of the cross-bars, the light triangles between 

 them being often spotted with black ; the light lines usually 

 become converted into more or less regular series of black and 

 yellowish spots. Some adult specimens, however, retain much 



* In specimens No. 3 (Sierra Leone) and 7 (Cameroon). 



