. Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal . type of a new genus of venomous serjjents ; but unless other species resembling it be hereafter found, it is better to avoid the multiplication of genera,—the rage for which has too often greatly retarded the study of Natural History. I have, therefore, considered it as an Elaps, and beg leave to designate it Elaps Jamesoni. The only specimen which I have seen, and which is in my possession, measures From the snout to the anus, From the anus to the extremity of the tail, Extreme length, Circumference of the trunk where thickest, Length of the head, The t
. Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal . type of a new genus of venomous serjjents ; but unless other species resembling it be hereafter found, it is better to avoid the multiplication of genera,—the rage for which has too often greatly retarded the study of Natural History. I have, therefore, considered it as an Elaps, and beg leave to designate it Elaps Jamesoni. The only specimen which I have seen, and which is in my possession, measures From the snout to the anus, From the anus to the extremity of the tail, Extreme length, Circumference of the trunk where thickest, Length of the head, The trunk diminishes towards the neck and tail. The back is slightly carinated ; the abdomen is large ; the tail tapers gra- dually ; the scales are lozenge-shaped, smooth, and arranged in fifteen rows; the scuta are wide, and number 220 +108 (the first, as in Schlegel's work, indicating the abdominal, the latter the divided caudal scuta). The general colour of the upper part of the animal is of a bluish-grey ; but where the epidermis has peeled oflF, the scales are of a brilliant sky-blue. Each scale on the posterior part of the body, and also on the whole tail, is edged with deep black ; and on the latter they are, moreover, tipt with the same colour, giving a very ele- gant appearance to this snake. The general colour of the under parts of the body is yellowibh-white, but the abdominal Ft. Iiuhes =4 (i = 1 = G = 0 =0
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookcollectionbiod, bookdecade1840, bookyear1843
