THE PBINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 59 



Internasal shields three-fourths of the length of the preefrontals ; 

 frontal two-thirds of the length of the parietals. 



Colour, black all over. 



Total length, 420 miUimetres ; tail 30. 



Habitat : Zanzibar. 



(3) E. hessii. — Snout as in foregoing. Symphysial shield of the 

 lower lip in contact with the anterior chin shields. 



Colour grey, with black cross-bars ; a series of black spots on 

 the sides, between the bars; large black blotch on nape; belly 

 white. 



Total length, 160 milHmetres ; tail 12. 



Habitat : Congo. 



(4) E. decosteri. — Snout obtusely pointed. 



Colour, dark grey, each scale edged with black ; belly white. 

 Total length, 380 milhmetres ; tail 38. 

 Habitat : Delagoa Bay. 



(5) E. sundevallii. — Snout obtusely pointed. 



Colour reddish-brown, with yellow transverse bands, the scales 

 in which are edged with reddish-brown ; upper lip and belly yellow. 

 Total length, 510 millimetres ; tail 43. 

 Habitat ." Caffraria. 



(6) E. houlengeri. — Scales in 15 rows. 



Colour black on the back, with narrow white transverse bands ; 

 head white, with a black streak along the parietal suture ; belly 

 blackish-grey. 



Total length, 170 millimetres ; tail 14. 



Habitat : Zambesi. 



(c) Naja. 



(For the characters of this genus, see Asia, p. 33.) 



Six species of Naja are found in Africa : — 



(1) N. haje or haie. — Scales in 21 — 23 rows on the neck, which 

 is dilatable, although slightly less so than that of N. tripudiaiis, 

 the Cobra-di-Capello of India. 



