194 
large preocular forming an angular projection between the 
posterior frontal and the supraciliary ; two postoculars, the upper 
the larger ; two pairs of temporals, the lower of the anterior pair 
much the larger, and completely separating the upper from the 
posterior pair ; fourth and fifth upper labials entering the eye ; 
fifth lower labial the largest. Colors — Head and body above 
pale brown, below yellowish-white anteriorly, becoming dirty 
brown posteriorly ; tail above dark brown, below lighter with a 
central lead-colored zigzag stripe. 
Total length fifty-six inches : tail eighteen inches. Register 
number R. 1088. 
Dendrophis elegans, sp. nov. 
Scales on the body anteriorly in thirteen, posteriorly in eleven 
series ; abdominal plates one hundred and eighty-five ; anal plate 
divided ; subcaudal plates in two rows of one hundred and forty- 
four each. Head moderately distinct from the neck. Rostral 
two-thirds broader than high ; loreal oblong, twice as long as 
high ; supraciliaries swollen, forming a blunt ridge over the eye ; 
occipitals quadrilateral, squarely cut off behind ; five temporal 
shields ; fifth and sixth upper labials entering the eye. In all 
other respects similar to D. papuce. Colors — Upper surface of 
head black, the supraciliaries with an orange tinge ; lower surface 
and greater part of the upper labials cream color ; general color 
of the upper surface of the body yellowish-brown lighter in front 
and duller, variously ornamented with black, which predominates 
on the neck and neighboring part of the body ; mesially the 
black takes the form of oblique bands from one to two scales in 
breadth and about five times that distance apart, and encroaching 
on the belly but not reaching across the abdominal scales ; pos- 
teriorly the markings become almost merged in the duller and 
darker ground color; belly anteriorly cream color, becoming a 
greenish lead color posteriorly ; tail very dark brown above, lead 
color below. 
Total length about sixty inches; tail nineteen inches. Register 
number R. 1089. 
The three Snakes described above were obtained by the 
collectors of the Royal Geographical Society’s Expedition to the 
Fly River, New Guinea, in 1885. 
