DESCRIPTION OF
No. XXXVIII.
COLUBER.
JAVA, XIV.
Scut re 170.
Squama 52.
The head obtuse, ovate, scarcely broader than the neck ; rostrum rounded. On the point
of the front lamin® a trigonal pair separates the nostrils; behind these a narrow pair.
The shield-form lamina very broad, acuminated ; the semi-cordate, well shaped.
The mouth without fangs. The eyes spherical. The nostrils lateral, very small.
The trunk is of the thickness of a small goose-quill, tapers to a sharp point at the tail.
The scales smooth.
The length, seven inches three lines, of which the tail measures one inch two lines.
The colour. A black double fillet crosses the orbits, and there is an oblique streak of
the same colour on each cheek. From the middle of the sliield-form lamina rises a black
fillet, which, dividing into two, is continued on each side of the ridge of the back to the
t ip of the tail: two narrower stripes of the like colour run parallel to these as far as the
anus. These fillets are edged with very fine white lines. There are two other smaller
waving lines on each side, which extend the whole length of the body. The colour
between these stripes is a light bay, so that the body appears black and bay alternately.
The belly, dusky white.
No. XXXIX.
COLUBER.
Scuta: 202.
Squama 6 8.
The head, oblong, ovate, flat, considerably broader than the neck The first pair of
lamins rounded ; the second pair much larger. The shield-form lanceolate ; the semicordate
pair small, but well shaped.
I N D I A N SERPENTS. 43
The mouth large, without fangs ; a marginal row of teeth above.
The eyes small, orbicular. The nostrils small.
The trunk. The body is small for its length, gradually enlarges till beyond the middle ;
it then as gradually decreases towards the anus, where it suddenly becomes less, and terminates
in a small sharp pointed tail. The scales are every where very obtuse.
The length, one foot eight inches, of which the tail measures three inches and a half.
The colour. The head dark brown, the cheeks striped with the same colour; the back
is of a lighter brown, having a dull greenish tint, which grows fainter at the sides, and
is lost as it approaches the scntas. The belly is white.
No. XL.
COLUBER.
Sadie 151.
Squama 4 6.
The head small, rostrum obtuse. The first pair of lamina; small, and nearly orbicular,
and are perforated by the nostrils. The second pair very small, triangular. A third
pair a little larger, ovate. These terminate at the orbits of the eyes: tlie remainder of
the head is covered by very small orbicular scales, which towards the occiput become
carinated. The mmdh small, no fangs, a marginal row of very small teeth above. The
nostrils saiM. The «/fj small, ovate.
The trunk. The body thick round, and tapers very graduall)^ into the tail. The scales
are long oval, and carinate throughout.
The tail is short, and terminates abruptly, appearing as though a small part had been
lost by accident during life.
The length, one foot eight inches, of which the imperfect tail three inches, two lines.
The colour. The upper part of the head, back, and tail, are of an uniform bluish
black colour. The sides are uniformly marked from the chin to the extremity of the tail,
with rounded spots of the same colour as the back. These spots regularly alternate with
each other, and are connected to one another by slips, from a smaller row of irregular
shaped spots along the middle of the belly. The belly, white.