4 
DESCRIPTION OF 
No. II. 
COLUBER. 
Abdominal Scuta 209 
Sub-caudal Squama 129 
Called by the natives, Kalla Jin. 
The head broader than the neck, depressed, thin, ovate. The principal laminae 
twelve in number. The one in front trigonal, somewhat emarginate ; the pair between 
the nostrils, orbicular ; the next pair square, and larger ; the central lamina between 
the eyes, small, trigonal, with a singular cordate appendage ; the lateral laminas 
large, oblong-ovate ; the posterior pair semicordate with a pretty large lamina on 
each side. 
The mouth large. The lower jaw a little shorter than the upper. A double row of 
palatal teeth, and a marginal row, above ; no fangs: the under teeth as usual. 
The eyes lateral, nearer the rostrum than the angles of the mouth, large, oval. The 
nostrils lateral, very near the point of the rostrum. 
The trunk. The neck small, round ; the back convex, the sides towards the scuta 
compressed, the abdomen flat. The tail tapers to a very small, sharp, point. The 
scales ovate, smooth, imbricate : but those next the scuta, are larger and somewhat 
angular. 
The entire length of the subject two feet ten inches, of the tail nine inches ; circum- 
ference of the neck eleven lines, of the body one inch and a half. 
The colour. This animal is singularly and beautifully speckled. The orange colour 
marks on the upper part of the polished black head, give it a resemblance to some 
species of beetle. Along the ridge of the back, from the neck to the end of the tail, 
is a row of orange yellow, crucial, spots, with oblique rows of short, straw-colour lines 
on each side. The ground colour is black. The scuta are of a yellowish white, with 
a black dot on each side of the margins. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Allowance must be made in the colour, for change produced by the spirits ; the 
specimen not being accompanied with a drawing. 
In the second Volume of Seba’s Museum, this serpent seems to be described in two 
places. In p. 7. Tab. 7, under the name of Ibiboboca, from Brasile ; and in p. 60, 
Tab. 61. “ Serpens Ceilanica pomposa veste ornata.” 
