PSAMMOPHIS. 



365 



PSAMMOPHIS, 



Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 521. 



Fig. 107. Head and dentition of 

 Psammophis condanarus. 



Maxillary teeth 10 to 13, one 

 or two in the middle much en- 

 larged, fang-like, and preceded 

 and followed by an interspace, 

 the two posterior grooved ; 

 anterior mandibular teeth long, 

 posterior small. Head elon- 

 gate, distinct from neck, with 

 angular canthus rostralis ; eye 

 rather large, with round pupil. 

 Body elongate, cylindrical ; 

 scales smooth, in 15 or 17 

 rows, with apical pits ; ventrals 

 rounded or obtusely angulate 

 laterally ; tail long ; subcaudals 

 in two rows. 



Distribution. 9 or 10 species 

 are known, from Africa and 

 Southern Asia. Chiefly sand- 

 snakes, but also found on low 

 bushes. Feed principally on 

 Lizards. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



A. Pr8eocular forming a suture with the frontal. P. leithii, p. 365. 



B. Prseocular not reaching the frontal. 



n. Prsefrontals much shorter than the frontal . P. condanarus, p. 366. 

 b. Prsefrontals nearly as long as the frontal . . P. lonyifrons, p. 366. 



454. Psammophis leithii. 



Psammophis leithii, Giinth. P. Z. S. 1869, p. 505, pi. xxxix ; Stoliczka, 

 P. A. S. B. 1872, p. 83 ; Blanf. Zool. E. Pers. p. 421 ; Theob. Cat. 

 p. 188 ; Murray, Zool Sind, p. 382. 



Psammophis sindanus, Stoliczka, P. A. S. B. 1872, p. 83. 



Psammophis condanarus (non Merr.}, Blanf. J. A. S. B. xlviii, 1879, 

 pt. 2, p. 126. 



Rostral broader than deep, visible from above ; nostril between 

 two or three shields, the posterior nasal being frequently divided 

 into two ; internasals about half the length of the prsefrontals ; 

 frontal very narrow, longer than its distance from the end of the 

 snout, nearly as long as the parietals ; loreal about twice as long as 

 deep ; prseocular single, in contact with the frontal ; two post- 

 oculars ; temporals 1 + 2 or 2-J-2 ; upper labials 8 or 9, fourth and 



