83 



ration is so modified, as, I think, to have caused Dumeril to estabhsh a 

 new species, Elaps trilineatus (Erp. gener. Tii. p. 1227). The black 

 abdominal bands of the other varieties here become rings, encircling 

 all the body, but interrupted by the two reddish-brown bands. The 

 yellowish vertebral line occupies one series of scales and two half 

 series, being broken up by those black rings ; this line is interrupted 

 on the head by the brown colour of the occiput and crown ; but both 

 the ends of the fork into which that line terminates in the first va- 

 riety are visible, forming on each side a yellowish streak from above 

 the eye to the side of the muzzle. The two lateral brownish-red 

 streaks of the former variety are likewise present, and continue un- 

 interrupted from the occiput to the tip of the tail. The narrow yel- 

 lowish outer lines of the former varieties are scarcely visible. The 

 tail is surrounded by two rings, and a third, incomplete, middle one. 

 Dumeril mentions the specimen of the Paris Museum as coming 

 from the west coast of Sumatra ; that of the British Museum was 

 brought by Mr. Cuming from the Philippine Islands. 



3. Callophis gracilis. Gray. 

 Calliophis gracilis. Gray, Ind. Zool. f. 1-3. 

 Elaps nigromaculatus. Cant. Catal. p. 108. 

 Penang. ; Singapore. 



4. Callophis xjnivirgatus, Gthr. (PI. XVII. figs. A & <?,) 

 Elaps univirgahis, Gthr. Catal, p. 232. 



This new species from Nepal, the most northern known at pre- 

 sent, may be readily distinguished by the black head, with yellowish 

 cross-band behind the eyes, and by the black dorsal streak. The 

 descriptions of the two varieties given in my Catalogue I complete 

 now with the figures. Coming from the same part of the East 

 Indies, they are not climatic varieties ; I rather think the difference 

 in the colour depends upon the sexes, although I have not been 

 able to make this out by dissection, on account of the condition of 

 the internal parts. 



5. Callophis trimaculatus (Daud.). (PI. XVI. fig. E.) 



Russell, Ind. Serp. i. pi. 8. 

 Vipera trimaculata, Daud. Rept. vi. p. 25. 

 Elaps trimaculatus^ Merr. Tent. p. 143 ; Schleg. Essai, p. 449. 

 Coluber melanurus, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 552. 

 Tenasserim. 



We are informed by Russell, who discovered this species, which he 

 founded on a single specimen (and a second has not occurred), that 

 he deposited it in the British Museum. I have been fortunate 

 enough to find this original specimen, which, although the notice of 

 its origin has been lost, so completely agrees in all the details with 

 Russell's description and figure, that any doubt of its individuality 

 appears to be removed. It proves to be different from the Snake 

 described by Cantor asElaps melanurus (Shaw), and named by myself 

 Elaps maculiceps. Schlegel, to whom the species was known by 

 Russell's work only, attributes to it a black vertebral line ; but Russell 



