ELAPS LEMNISCATUS. 91 



nent; the eyes small, round, and surrounded by five small plates ; 

 upper parts of the body, neck, and tail, covered with small hex- 

 agonal scales ; general colour above, pearly grey, with obscure, 

 transverse, dusky, or blueish undulations ; beneath pale yellowish 

 or reddish brown, with a small black spot at the edge of each 

 abdominal scutum, and a similar range of spots from the anus to 

 the end of the tail, the extremity of which, for about the length of 

 half an inch, is furnished with divided scales. This species is 

 generally supposed to be poisonous. Daudin observes, " son 

 analogic avec le ceraste et la vipere cornue de Paterson ( Vipera 

 lophophris, Cuv.) semblent d'ailleurs indiquer qu'il est dangereux." 



ELAPS LEMNISCATUS. 



Ribaud-like Elaps. 



Pl. XVI. 



Gen. Char. Head behind same breadth as the neck, 

 with large plates ; neck not dilatable ; dorsal scales 

 equal ; tail conical, moderate ; sab-caudal plates two 

 rowed. 



Spec. Char. Body slender, cylindrical, yellowish, white, 

 or rose-coloured, with annular bands or zones of black 

 disposed in pairs ; head rather flat, with a black band 

 in front across the eyes. 



Cobuber lemuiscatus ; St/st. Nat. Gntelin, p. 1 110 j Mus. Ad. Fred. p. 34, t. 14, 

 f. 1. Natrix lenmiscata ; Laurenti, Sysl. Rept. p. 7G, n. 152; Seba Thes. 

 i. t. 10, fig-, ult. ii. t.76, f. 3. La Galonee ; La Cepede, Rept. in 18mo. iv. p. 104. 

 La Vipere galonnee ; Daudin, Rept. vi. p. 13. Elaps lemuiscatus ; Schneider, 

 Hisl.Amph.fasc.2, p. 291. 



Much diversity of opinion prevails among naturalists respecting 

 the poisonous qualities of the species belonging to the genus Elaps. 



