1024 



lJESCRiption of a new snake of the genus 

 contia, b. & g., from persia. 



BY G. A. BOULENGEK. 

 CONTIA CONDONI, Sp. 11. 



Rostral broader than deep, the portion visible from above 

 measuring about one-third its distance from the frontal ; suture 

 between the internasals a little shorter than that between the 

 prfa^rontals ; frontal one and a half to one and two thirds as long 

 as broad, not much broader than the supraocular, as long as its 

 distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; nasal 

 undivided ; loreal small, as long as deep ; one prteocular ; two post- 

 oculars ; temporals 1 + 2 ; seven upper labials, third and fourth 

 entering the eye ; four lower labials in contact with the anterior 

 chin-shields, wdiich are longer than the posterior; chin-shields, 

 of both pairs in contact with each other. Scales smooth, in 17 

 rows. Ventrals 169-173; anal divided; subcaudals 69-75. Pale 

 brown above, with small blackish spots, forming narrow crossbars, 

 continuous or interrupted and alternating on the back; white 

 beneath. 



Total length 520 mm. ;* tail 145. 



Two specimens, male (V. 169; C. 75) and female (V. 173; C; 

 69), from Shiraz, presented by Lt.-Col. De\^ Condon to the Bom- 

 bay Natural History Society's Museum. The male is now in 

 British Museum.* 



This species is allied to Contia fasciata, Jan, and C. hrevicauda 

 Nikolsky, both of which are known from Persia. The scale 

 formula alone enables one to distinguish the three snakes : — 



G. condoni. Sc. 17; V. 169-173; C. 69-75. 

 G. fasciata. „ 15; „ 158-171; „ 48-62. 

 C. hrevicauda. „ 15; „ 158-168; ,, 38-41. 



* The specimens have been killed in a v&ry roug^h manner and are, therefore, 

 unfortunately, in an unsatisfactory condition. 



