ZAMEN1S DIADEMA. 267 
Zamenis diadema, Schlegel. (Plate XXXVIII.) 
La Couleuvre aux raies par alleles, Is. Geoffr. St.-Hil. Descr. de l'Egypte, Hist. Nat, i. ?1827, p. 47, 
pi. viii. (no date) figs. 1 & 1'. 
Coluber tyria, Linn., apud Geoffr. St.-Hil. op. cit. p. 151. 
Zamenis diadema, Blgr. Cat. Snakes B. M. i. 1893, p. 411 ; Olivier, Mem. Soc. Zool. France, vii. 
1894, p. 121 j Peracca, Boll. Mus. Torino, 1894, no. 167, p. 12; Werner, Verh. zool.-bot. 
Ges. Wien, xlv. 1895, p. 18 ; op. cit. xlvii. 1897, p. 407 ; Anderson, Herpet. Arabia & Egypt, 
1896, pp. 71, 107; Alcock & Finn, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. lxv. (April 12) 1897, pt. ii. p. 563. 
1 juv. East side of Suez Canal, near Suez. 
1. Fayid, west of Bitter Lakes. 
1 6 . Abu Roasb. 
3 cf , 1 ? , and 2 juv. Pyramids of Gizeh. 
1 6 and 1 J . Beni Hassan. M. W. Blackden, Esq. 
1 <S and 1 § . Tel el Amarna. Professor W. M. Flinders Petrie, D.C.L. 
1 d . Suakin. 
1 § . Durrur. 
1 d . Oasis of Siwab. A. R. Birdwood, Esq. 
Body elongate, somewhat compressed ; rostral as high as broad, or nearly so, the 
portion visible from above equals about one-third the length of the internasals ; 
interuasals more or less quadrangular, shorter than the prsefrontals, the suture between 
the two directed obliquely outwards and backwards ; prefrontals generally broken up 
into a number of pieces ; length of the frontal equalling or falling short of its distance 
from the end of the snout, its anterior breadth equals nearly two-thirds of its length, 
sides markedly concave, generally broadly in contact with the prseocular, rarely 
excluded : parietals longer than the frontal, nearly twice as long as broad, rather 
narrow, their extreme length nearly equals the distance between the anterior angle and 
the end of the internasals, obliquely truncated posteriorly ; supraocular about one- 
fourth narrower than the anterior border of the frontal ; three to five loreals ; two to 
four pneoculars, occasionally only one ; three to five postoculars ; two to four suboculars 
between the eye and the labials ; temporals scaly. Ten to thirteen upper labials ; 
the sixth very exceptionally entering the orbit. Anterior pair of chin-shields 
large, in contact with five or six lower labials ; posterior pair small, elongate, 
separated by three rows of scales. 25 to 33 rows of obtusely keeled scales 
round the body. 210-278 ventrals, with a more or less defined lateral ridge ; anal 1 ; 
subcaudals 65-110. 
General colour of upper surface reddish or greyish buff, or even sandy, with 
about 50 large, rhombic, dark brown spots on the body and about 25 on the tail, with 
a series of narrow oblong spots along the side alternate with the dorsal spots, 
quadrangular posteriorly and prolonged on to the tail ; the lateral scales of the large 
2 m2 
