1852.] 63 



Habits. But little is known of the habits of this animal. They probably re- 

 semble those of the Amphisba'nidcT. 



General Remarks. But three species of Lepidosternon are described by Dume- 

 ril and Bibron in their Erpetologie Generale, viz., Lep. microcephalum, L. 

 phocaena, and L. scutigerum. From the microcephalum, the species upon which 

 the genus was founded by Spix, galeatus differs in the form and number of the 

 pectoral shields, the number of plates upon the head, and in being a much more 

 slender animal. Lepidosternon phocaena presents twelve plates upon the head, and 

 the pectoral shields are small and lozenge shaped. The resemblance between the 

 animal just described and the L. scutigerum, the Cephalopeltis Cuvieri of Muller, 

 is more close, but it differs from it in several well marked particulars, viz., the 

 position of the nostrils, which in all the species described by Dumeril and Bibron 

 are stated to be in the rostral plate. They are distinctly so drawn in the figure of 

 the L. microcephalum of Spix, in his work on the serpents of Brazil. In L. galeatus 

 the nostrils are situated in a plate immediately below the rostral. It differs also 

 in having lateral anal pores, which are not mentioned as existing in either of the 

 described species of Lepidosternon, and in the number of rings upon the body 

 and tail. These are stated by Dumeril and Bibron to be three hundred and four- 

 teen for the body and fourteen or fifteen for the tail. The L. scutigerum is there- 

 fore a much longer animal, measuring 18! inches. All the species of Lepidos- 

 ternon hitherto described are from South America. 



The reptile most nearly resembling the above described animal is undoubtedly 

 the Monaspis capensis of Dr. Andrew Smith, (Illustrations of the Zoology of 

 South Africa. Keptilia, pi. 67.) The nostrils in the plate of Dr. Smith are 

 placed as in Phractogonus, but no mention is made of his description of lateral 

 anal pores. The number of rings upon the body is 206, of the tail 7. The 

 prfeanal scale is divided as in L. galeatus into six compartments, and the pectoral 

 shields are the same in number but differ in shape. The head, however, has but 

 a single plate or shield, and hence the name Monaspis, which cannot with pro- 

 priety be applied to an animal with two. I therefore prefer the name Phracto- 

 gonus. The greater or less number of plates upon the head may, as Dr. Smith 

 observes, be of specific importance only, but the position of the nostrils and the 

 presence of lateral anal pores are characters of sufficient value to warrant the 

 establishment of a subgenus. 



Hemic ACT YLUS angulatus. 



Specific Characters. Upper part of body co^'ered with tubercles, dis- 

 posed in oblique parallel rows converging toward the middle line of 

 the back. A large triangular plate under the chin. Tail of same 

 length as head and body. Tail subquadrangular at its base, tapering 

 gradually towards a point. 



Description. The head of this animal is of moderate size, flattened above, 

 somewhat swollen at the temples. The snout is triangular, depressed abovp, 

 the nostrils which are small and circular being: placed nearly a line apart about 

 half a line above the opening of the mouth. There is a row of nine or ten plates 

 upon each side of the upper jaw; of these the two or three nearest the snout 

 appear to be the largest. The same number exists upon each side of the lower 

 jaw. The nostril is in a narrow, oblong, quadrilateral plate. The mental plate is 

 large and triangular, with two smaller quadrangular plates on each side at the 

 apex of the trians^le. The meatus auditorius is very distinct, of moderate size, 

 oval in shape. The eyes are large and lateral, with rounded pupils. The upper 

 half of the orbit is bordered by a single row of conical scales. The chin and 

 throat are covered with small granular scales, which are somewhat larger near the 

 chin. The scales upon the neck and abdomen are smooth and quadrangular, 

 running in oblique rows. The upper part of the body presents numerous tuber- 

 cles arranged in oblique rows, converging toward the middle line of the back* 

 The interspaces between the tubercles are covered with very numerous black 

 points. Upon the head and neck, numerous tubercles, larger and more abundant 

 upon the neck, are observed, arranged in an irregular manner. The upper and 

 lateral surfaces of the snout are covered with tubercles thickly agglomerated. 



