26 
DESCRIPTION OF 
No. XXII. 
COLUBER. 
Scuta Abdominalia 151 
Squama Subcaudales 46 
Called by the natives 
The head big, thicker than the neck, ovate, slightly depressed, the rostrum com- 
pressed on the sides, and the point turning up. Between the nose and shield-form 
lamina, small, smooth, orbicular scales surround a pair of round laminae ; of the three 
between the eyes the middle lamina is narrow, lance-shape ; the lateral broad and 
convex ; the semicordate pair short : the occiput covered with smooth orbicular scales, 
smaller than those in front. 
The ringent aperture between the nostril and the eye is also found here, in the 
same situation as in the two preceding subjects. 
The mouth rather large. There are fangs on each side, of a size proportionably 
large : no marginal teeth above, and the palatal teeth in the under jaw small. The 
eyes oval, large. The nostrils , near the point of the reverted rostrum, very small. 
The trunk. The neck slender ; the body towards the middle rather thick ; the back 
carinated, the sides swelling to the abdomen, which is convex, not flat as in the last. 
The tail terminates in a small horny point. The scales on the back carinated, but 
smooth on other parts. 
The length one foot two inches and a half, including the tail of two inches and a 
half. 
The colour. The upper part of the head dark brown, with a cineritious streak from 
each orbit. The trunk of a lighter brown than the head, with cinerious and brown 
oval spots on the back and sides. The belly yellowish, freckled with minute dots. 
On each side of the fore part of the trunk, there is a row of small darkish spots next 
the scuta. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This serpent was received from India in 1 802 without country name, or the place 
where it was found being specified. 
It has more of the viper appearance than the last. The dorsal scales are carinated, 
and the laminae on the head less regular than usual : yet, except on the rostrum, they 
are more completely formed than commonly found in venomous serpents. 
