OCR Text |
Show 1881.] OPHIDIANS FROM SOCOTRA. 463 A single specimen, 14 inches long, is in the collection; the tail measures 2 inches. 3. ZAMENIS SOCOTR^E, sp. n. (Plate XLI.) Habit slender; head narrow; eye of moderate size. Rostral shield convex, just reaching the upper surface of the head. The scutes of the upper surface of the head are not subdivided; anterior frontals much smaller than the posterior; vertical large, broad in front, with the lateral margins slightly concave ; occipitals truncated behind ; a triangular enlarged scale fits into the notch between their ends. Loreal elongate. Ten upper labials, of which the fourth and sixth are transversely divided, so that three pree- and three postoculars may be distinguished; the fifth upper labial is undivided, and enters the orbit. The posterior chin-shields are extremely narrow, much narrower than the anterior, and are separated by several smaller narrow scutes. Temporals scale-like, 3 + 3 + 3. Scales smooth, in 23 rows. Ventrals 225 ; anal bifid; subcaudals 117. Abdomen with a very obscure ridge on each side. The head is nearly uniform olive above ; there is no spot below the eye, or temple-streak. The ground-colour of the anterior half of the body is pink, with olive cross bands edged with black and about as broad as the interspaces. Towards the middle of the body the pink interspaces become indistinct and mottled with short black lines; and the tail is nearly uniform olive. Lower parts uniform reddish white. In a variety the black edges to the cross bands are absent, and the pink interspaces are, from the fore part of the trunk, mottled with olive. Of this fine and very distinct species of Zamenis there are three specimens in the collection. The largest measures 32| inches, the tail taking 8| inches. 4. ECHIS COLORATA. This species was characterized by m e in the Society's 'Proceedings' 1878, p. 978, from a specimen obtained in Midian. It occurs also on the shores of the Dead Sea, two specimens obtained by Mr. Tristram, and formerly referred by m e to E. carinata, belonging to it. One rather young example is in the Socotran collection, and of a more uniform coloration than the type. The characteristic of this species consists principally in the much smaller scales and scutes. It may be at once recognized by its very small nasals, which are separated by very small scutes from the rostral; whilst in E. carinata the large nasals form a suture with the rostral. |