REPTILES. 211 



fourth, fifth, and sixth lower labials. The body is subcylindrical, a little more slender anteri- 

 orly than posteriorly. The tail is short, subconical, and tapering to a point ; it forms but the 

 two-twenty-first part of the whole length. The scales are perfectly smooth, constituting fifteen 

 longitudinal rows, larger in the outermost row, and smallest upon the dorsal line or middle 

 row. The scales themselves are acuminated posteriorly. On the tail they are shorter, and 

 truncated posteriorly, constituting seven rows upon its origin, and three only towards its tip. 

 The abdominal scutellaj are two hundred and eighteen in number : the preanal is bifid. The 

 subcaudal scutellte are all bifid, and constitute thirty-six pairs. The tip of the tail is conical 

 in the adult state, and somewhat acute in young specimens. 



Abd. sc. 217 -f 1. Subc. so. 18. Dors, rows 15. Total length 29 inches; tail 2/^. 



The body is reddish, annulated with jet black. The anterior part of the head from behind 

 the eye is black, then follows a yellow ring, embracing in its width almost the whole length of 

 the occipital plate, and just behind it the first black ring, embracing the posterior part of the 

 head and neck, covering about six scales. There are fifteen more black rings hence to the 

 tail, each covering about three scales. The intermediate red spaces embrace anteriorly four- 

 teen scales, ten upon the middle region of the body, and eight towards the tail. There is an 

 obsolete indication of a yellow margin to the anterior two black rings. The scales in the red 

 spaces are tipped with black on the tail; the black rings are much wider than the red ones, 

 there being three of each kind; the tip is black. The inferior surface is reddish-yellow sparsely 

 spread over with small and irregular black spots. 



Specimens of this species were collected at Taboga, on the bay of Panama, Central America. 

 Plate XXXV, fig. 1, represents Elaps nigrocinctus, of the size of life, 

 fig. 2, a view of the head, seen from above, 

 fig. 3, a side view of the head, 

 fig. 4, the head, seen from below, 

 fig. 5, shows the vent and the bifid preanal scutella. 



fig. 6, is a portion of the left side of the body, showing the shape and number 

 of rows of scales. 

 Figs. 2 — 5 are slightly magnified. 



FAMILY OF OXYCEPHALID^E. 



Genus DRYOPHIS, Fitz. 



G-EN. CHAR. Body and tail long and slender. Cephalic plates normal. Eyes large. One 

 anteorbital plate ; several postorbitals. No loral. One nasal, with nostril in its middle. Eos- 

 tral situated under the snout, which protrudes over the lower jaw. Several labials constituting 

 the inferior rim of orbit. Dorsal scales smooth. The last two abdominal scutallfe bifid ; sub- 

 caudals all bifid. 



Syw. DryopUs, Fitz. N. Class. Kept. 1826, 29 and 60. 



DRYOPHIS VITTATUS, Girard, 

 Plate XXX^'1, Figs. 1—6. 



Spec. CSAk. Three postorbital plates, two of which constituting the posterior rim of the orbit 

 the third being placed behind them. Fifth, sixth, and seventh, or fourth, fifth, and sixth labials 



