Description of a new species of venomous Snake, 533 



rows of scales amount to 13, and in that respect our new 

 serpent differs from the generahty of the species of the 

 genus, (in which the number of the rows of scales amount 

 to fifteen, and agrees with a few species, forming with 

 them a separate little group) to which it bears no further 

 resemblance either in colour or physionomy. The abdomi- 

 nal plates are rather broad and in number SI 6. The tail 

 is thick, moderately pointed and short, or about one-tenth of 

 the entire length, underneath it is covered with 21 pairs of 

 subcaudal plates. At the root of the tail, the number of 

 the rows of scales amount to 9. 



With respect to the system of coloration, it deviates from 

 the rest of the xlsiatic species of the Elaps by an annulated 

 body. The colour of the specimen preserved in spirits, 

 is brownish red at the upper parts of the body, being 

 somewhat paler in the midst of the scales, than at the 

 edges ; down the sides of the body this colour becomes 

 more and more light, and passes at the under-parts into 

 a yellowish white. The whole body from the neck to the 

 end of the tail is surrounded by black rings about a line 

 in breadth, which are generally placed at the distance of 

 an inch, but sometimes nearer to each other. In a few 

 places there are slight* irregularities in the colouring the 

 rings not reaching to the abdomen, and thus being only half 

 rings. The row of scales, situated at the median line of 

 the back, are here and there marked with a black point 

 or streak. 



In the midst of the abdomen we find a row of irregular 

 black spots, placed betwixt every two rings. 



The head has the colour of the under-parts, but its back 

 is marked with two very broad cross bars, so that only 

 the band of the muzzle, and a transversal band behind, 



* Elaps furcatus Schn: Elaps hivirgatus and a new species, which the 

 royal Museum in Copenhagen has got from the island of Pulo-Pinang. 



