1854*.] Notices and Descriptions of various Sept lies. 289 



C. bicolor, nobis, n. s. Dusky-plumbeous above, bufiy-white 

 below, throughout ; these colours gradually blending, and not abrupt- 

 ly demarcated as in C. tenuiceps. Vertical plate pentangular, 

 broader than long, or forming almost a triaugle laterally truncated : 

 rostral large and broad ; the muzzle consequently obtuse ; and the 

 head broader and natter than usual in this genus. Seventeen rows of 

 scales. Scuta3 210; scutellae 75 pairs. Length of a specimen 19 \ 

 in., of which tail 4f in. From Asam. Mr. Robinson. 



Coronella callicephaltjs, Gray, Ann. M. JST. H., Dec. 1853, 

 p. 390. # A beautiful species, with form and scutation of head as in 

 the European Coluber Esc ulapei (as figured by Schlegel) ; but the 

 eye somewhat smaller. Nineteen rows of scales : scutse 201, 211 ; 

 scutelhe 56, 65 pairs. Colour a light brown, paler below. Head 

 with a median black line over the vertical and occipital scutae, and 

 another continued from each eye to the first of a series of about 18 

 semi-annuli, which in the young consist of large and broad white- 

 edged black spots, reaching down to the abdominal scutse ; but in 

 adults the black of the interior of these spots disappears more or 

 less completely, leaving only the pale-margined black edge, so that 

 two narrow black transverse bands remain in place of the single 

 broad black spot of the young : also at about the ninth or tenth of 

 the latter from the head, two narrow black dorsal lines commence, 

 which at first are broken and irregular, but gradually become conti- 

 nuous and well defined towards and upon the tail, where they cross 

 its transverse bands and are continued to the extreme tip. Length 

 of a specimen 27 in., of which tail 4 in. From Asam. Mr. Robinson. 



Xenodon ruRPURASCENs, Schlegel. The varieties of colouring 

 of this Snake are extraordinary ; even more so than those of Ltco- 

 don aulicus. Two adults in spirit from Goalpara are entirely of 

 a pale colour (evidently, however, much blanched), without traces of 

 markings. Another, from Asam, is of a dull red-brown above, with 

 narrow black transverse bands; lower-parts reddish-pearly, with 

 two rows of somewhat indistinct black spots, mostly on alternate 

 scutce : head-markings~indistinct. A third variety (Coronella albo- 

 cincta, Cantor, P. Z. 8. 1839, p. 50), also from Asam, is of a clay colour, 



* When the above description was taken, we had not seen that by Mr. Gray, 



which is less detailed. 



2 Q 



