248 BOIDJE. 



the posterior. Head covered with small scales ; a mental groove. 

 Eye very small, with vertical pupil. Scales very small, smooth or 

 keeled. Tail very short, not or but very slightly prehensile ; sub- 

 caudals simple. 



Fig. 76. Head of Eryxjohnii. 



Distribution. The five or six species of this genus occur in the 

 arid sandy regions of Southern Asia and North Africa. 



288. Eryxjohnii. 



Boa johiiii, Russell, Ind. Serp. ii, p. 18, pi. xvi, and pi. xvii, fig. 1. 



Eryx johuii, Dum. $ Bibr. Erp. Gen. vi, p. 4o8 ; Gil-nth. Refi.B. I. 

 p. 334 ; Jan, Icon. Ophid. p. 71, 1. 4, pi. i, fig. 1 ; Stolu-kza, 

 P. A. S. B. 1872, p. 84; Theob, Cat. p. 207 ; Murray, Zool. Sind, 

 p. 385. 



Rostral large and broad, with angular horizontal edge ; two 

 pairs of small shields behind the rostral ; six to nine scales from 

 eye to eye across the forehead ; ten or eleven scales round the 

 eye, which is separated from the labials by one or two rows of 

 scales; 10 to 12 upper labials. Scales slightly keeled, in 51 to 65 

 rows. Ventrals 194-210; anal single ; subcaudals 26-36. Tail 

 very blunt, rounded at the end. Sandy grey, reddish, or pale 

 brown above, uniform or with more or less distinct blackish trans- 

 verse bands, these bands usually distinct on the tail ; belly brown, 

 or spotted with blackish ; young often pale coral -red. 



Total length 3 feet 3 inches ; tail 3 inches. 



Hab. Sandy tracts of Central and Southern India, the Punjab, 

 Cutch, and Sind. Nocturnal ; feeding on worms and small mam- 

 mals. Commonly kept by snake-charmers. 



