The correct status of Elaps collaris Schlegel

In 1908 Dr. F. A. JENTINK, Director of the Natural History Museum at Leyden (Holland) and Dr. TH. W. VAN LIDTH DE JEUDE graciously extended the courtesy of allowing me to study for a few weeks in the Herpetological Department of the Leyden Museum. The type specimens of Elaps collaris which were described by SCHLEGEL in 1837 were examined. This species was correctly placed by its author in the genus Elaps. It belongs to the group that is characterized by Mr. BOULENGER as having the “symphysial in contact with the anterior chin-shields”. It is allied to E. narduccii JAN, which it resembles in having the sixth supralabial in contact with the parietal and in the colour pattern of the body. It is specifically distinct in the following details: The parietal shield is shorter, being less than the interorbital space; the nuchal band is sharply defined, and cannot be mistaken for the light band over the head, that is so common a mark in the genus; the gastrosteges are less numerous, the records are from two hundred twentyeight to two hundred twenty-nine, whereas the range in narduccii is from two hundred forty to three hundred fifteen.