362 



COLUBEID^. 



The praefrontal bones are produced posteriorly over the orbit, 

 reaching the parietals in R. semifasdatus. A small outer process is 

 present on the ectopterygoid in B. bertholdi. 



Synoj)sis of the Species. 



I. Scales in 15 rows ; rostral much broader than deep ; nasal in 



contact with the prasocular ; ventrals 1 12-126. 



1. hertholdi, p. 362. 



II. Scales in 17 rows; ventrals 143-170. 



A. Nasal in contact with the prasocular ; upper portion of rostral 



longer than its distance from the frontal. 



Frontal a little longer than broad, twice as 



broad as the supraocular 2. australis, p. 363. 



Frontal as broad as long, at least thrice as 



broad as the supraocular 3. semifasciatus, p. 363. 



B. Nasal widely separated from the prseocular ; upper portion of 



rostral a little shorter than its distance from the frontal. 



4. fasciolatus, p. 364. 



1. Rhynchelaps bertholdi *. 



Elaps bertholdi, Jan, Rev. ^ Mag. Zool. 1859, p. 123, Prodr. p. 16, 

 pi. B (1859), and Icon. Gin. 4.3, pi. ii. fig. 5 (1873). 



Vermicella bertholdi, Gunih. Ann. ^ Mag. N. R. (3) xv. 1865, 

 p. 89; ZieU, Tr. R. Soc. 8. Austral, x. 1888, p. 300; Douglas 

 Opilby, Rec. Austral. Mus. i. 1890, p. 80. 



Elaps mattazoi, Fen-eira, Jorn. Sc. Idsb. (2) ii. 1891, p. 93. 



Snout much depressed, moderately prominent, with obtusely 

 angular edge. Eye measuring about two thirds its distance from 

 the mouth. Rostral much broader than deep, obtuse-angled behind, 

 its upper portion one half to three fourths as long as its distance 

 from the frontal; internasals shorter than the preefrontals ; frontal 

 once and a half to twice as long as broad, a little longer than its 

 distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; 

 nasal elongate and in contact with the prasocular, which is widely 

 separated from the frontal; two postoculars; temporals 1 + 1, 

 anterior sometimes descending to the edge of the mouth ; six 

 upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; three lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin- 

 shields in contact with each other or separated by one scale. Scales 

 in 15 rows. Ventrals 112-126 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 15-25. 

 Yellowish, with 19 to 40 black annuli, which are usually narrower 

 than the interspaces ; head speckled with brown, with a large dark 

 blotch on the parietals and temples. 



Total length 270 millim. ; tail 22. 



Southern and Western Australia. 



* Type (Q-6 ttiagen Museum) examined. 



