]26 RHIXOSTOMA COCCINEA. 



very broad in front, and pointed behind, where it is received by the occipital 

 plates; the superior orbital is single, oblong, hexagonal, and larger above than 

 below, and instead of projecting over the eye, is concave on its outer margin. 

 The occipital plates are two in number, broad, and larger in front, with two 

 temporals of variable shape. The frontal plates are irregularly hexagonal, with 

 the longest border joined to the vertical and loral, with three articulating facets 

 externally for the anterior orbital, loral and posterior nasal plates; the anterior 

 frontal are quadrilateral, larger below and smaller above. The rostral plate is 

 large, thick, and sub-rhomboidal, with its summit prolonged and acuminated; 

 the nasal plates are double, the anterior quadrilateral, the posterior pentagonal, 

 with the nostril between them — the posterior is joined to the orbit by a large 

 square plate. The loral plate is large and of pentagonal form; the posterior 

 orbital are t\vo in number, quadrilateral, and nearly of equal size. There are 

 six large irregularly quadrilateral labial plates on each side of the upper jaw, the 

 second and third of which form the inferior walls of the orbit of the eye. 



The nostrils are lateral, and at a distance from the snout. The eyes are 

 small; the pupil black, with the iris reddish-grey. The neck is not at all con- 

 tracted. The body is elongated, cylindrical, and covered with smooth scales, 

 and with broad plates below. The tail is short, thick, and pointed at its 

 extremity. 



Colour. The anterior part of the head is yellow, with a transverse black 

 band just behind the orbits of the eye. The body, at first view, seems bright 

 vermilion, marked with transverse black rings, placed in pairs, but separated from 

 each other by a yellow ring; yet, if examined attentively, there will be found about 

 twenty ovoid, beautiful crimson spots, each spot surrounded with a black border, 

 and separated from the adjacent spots in front and behind by a transverse yellow 

 band: at the extremity of each of these yellow bands is placed a dusky sub-round 

 spot, often indistinct, making a lateral series alternating with the vertebral row. 

 The throat and abdomen are beautiful silver-white. 



