The Poisonous Snakes of British Guiana. 35 
comparison with the other two — each set of three separ- 
ated from the others by a broad band of red, and each 
one ring of the set from the next by a band of yellow. 
The red scales of the head also are black-edged and give 
a very peculiar appearance to the species. 
Two other common species (Elaps corallinus, and 
Elaps lemniscatus) will readily be recognised by the 
arrangement of the black and red bands. In the latter 
the black rings are in sets of three separated from each 
other by narrow yellow or whitish spaces, and each set 
of three from the next set by red bands, which are usually 
wider than the others. 
In Elaps corallinus^ the black and red bands are more 
or less regularly arranged, the black being edged with 
yellow, and the red spotted with black. These species 
reach a length of three to four feet, E. lemniscatus being 
at times longer and comparatively thick. 
They are both found in moist grassy places, more 
especially by the trenches and creeks and in swampy 
lands. They pass usually under the common name of 
" Coral " snakes, and are frequently confounded with 
red and black banded harmless species, such for instance 
as Erythrolamprus assculapiu In all the venomous species 
the eyes arc very small, and can hardly be distinguished, 
while in the others they are large and prominent; and 
this serves as a rough and ready means for the identifi- 
cation of the two groups. 
Though capable of infiifting severe injury if not death 
on man, no case has ever come under the writer's notice 
in which such results have been experienced. Fre- 
quently these snakes will be seen being carried about 
by children and others who have not the faintcbt su^- 
E2 
