I 



477 



ORNAMENTED SNAKE. 



Coluber Ornatiis. C. nigerrimus, maculis albis Jlosculosis abdo' 

 mine albo. 



Jet-black Snake, with white flower-shaped spots and white ab- 

 domen. 



Serpens Jaculus Amboinensis perelegans. Seb. 2. t. 7-/- 1. 

 Serpens Ceilanica pomposa veste ornata. Seb. 2. t. 6l.f. 2. 

 Serpens Ceilonica elegantissima. Seb. 1. t. 9^./. 7. 



A VERY elegant and singular species : habit 

 long and flagelliform ; measuring about three feet 

 or more in length : colour of the upper parts jet 

 black, with white variegations, of which those on 

 the head and fore parts, for the length of a few 

 inches, generally consist of transverse white bars, 

 while those on the remainder are disposed into the 

 form of rounded or ovate spots of different sizes, 

 and representing either rosaceous or tetrapetalous 

 flowers scattered over the surface, and accom- 

 panied by smaller simple spots and specklings : 

 abdomen white : head rather small than large, 

 and of a longish form : tail rather long, slender, 

 and tapering to a sharp point : native of some of 

 the West-Indian islands, Martinico, &c. and, ac- 

 cording to Seba, of the East-Indian islands also, 

 as Ceylon and Java. The pattern varies a little 

 in different individuals, but the general appear- 

 ance is very similar in all. 



