other American species of Elaps it differs in having only one poste- 

 rior ocular, the eye being very small. The vertical shield is five- 

 sided, with the lateral and posterior sides equal, but with the anterior 

 rather longer ; the hinder angle is acute. The nasal appears to be 

 divided into two below the nostril only ; the nostril itself is round, 

 open ; seven upper labial shields, the sixth of which is separated 

 from the occipital by an intermediate temporal shield. Scales in 

 fifteen rows. Anal shield bifid. A strong fang in front of the upper 

 jaw, and no smaller tooth behind. 



It is easy to be seen which parts have been red-coloured during life, 

 and which yellow, slight tinctures of both colours being preserved. 

 The front part of the muzzle and the chin are black ; a narrow yel- 

 low band crosses the posterior frontals ; the following black band 

 reaches to the front part of the occipitals ; the remainder of the head 

 is red. The body and tail are encircled by twenty-two zones, each 

 of which is composed of three black rings and two yellow ones 

 between. The anterior black ring of the first zone forms a collar ; 

 two of the zones encircle the tail, the tip of which is black. The 

 black rings are nearly as broad on the belly as on the back ; the 

 middle one occupies five rows of scales, the outer ones four, the yel- 

 low rings mostly two. The red interspaces are as broad as the outer 

 black ones ; the scales in these interspaces are uniform, without any 

 spot. The specimen is 1 7" long ; of which the head takes 3^'", and 

 the tail 15'". It is in the collection of the British Museum, and has 

 been procured in Para. 



Doubtful American species of Elaps are — 



12. Elaps gastrodelus, Dum. & Bibr. p. 1212. 



13. Elaps diastema, Dum. & Bibr. p. 1222. 

 Mexico. 



14. Elaps zonatus, Hallow. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1855, 

 hi. p. 35. 



Honduras. 



15. Elaps divaricatus, Hallow. 1. c. p. 36. 

 Honduras. 



C. Vermicella, Gray, 



Elapidcs with slender and cylindrical body, with very short tail, 

 and with depressed head, not distinct from neck. No other tooth 

 behind the fang ; fifteen rows of scales ; anal bifid ; one nasal, 

 pierced by the nostril ; six upper labials ; one anterior, two posterior 

 oculars. Ornamental colours in cross-bands. 



Australia. 



Only one species is known s — 



1. Vermicella occipitalis. (PL XVII. fig. B.) 



Elaps occipitalis, Dum. Bibr. vii. p. 1220. 



Vermicella annulata (Gray), Gthr. Catal. Col. §n. p. 236. 



