NOTES ON SNAKES FROM PERSIA. 



797 



Labials. — Two ; the first between the nasal and the ocular, the second 

 behind the ocular. Costals in 14 rows. 



Snout hooked, its inferior preeoral surface concave. Length 9£ 

 inches, i.e., 81| times the length of the lateral diameter in midbody. 

 Body very distinctly compressed. Colour — Pinkish anteriorly, 

 merging to a pale uniform greyish. 



Family — Boid^e. 



Eryx jaculus. 



Six specimens. 



Agree with Boulenger's description, but there are one or two addi- 

 tional points I consider of importance I would like to call attention to. 

 As in others of the Family I know the ventrals begin in the throat at 

 an unusual distance behind the mental groove. The last two ventrals 

 are narrower than the preceding. The last costal row is much enlarged 

 and just one-half the breadth of the ventrals in mid-body, a feature 

 that I expect will prove constant in all the species of the Family, and 

 also found in the single species of the Family Xenopeltidoe. The 

 nasals touch the 1st and 2nd supralabials, a suture running from the 

 nostril to the 2nd. Supralabials. — The first three, four, or five are 

 high, the rest divided, their lower parts decreasing in size from before 

 backwards, hifralabials. — The first four or five are entire and broad, 

 the rest divided. 



1 



2 

 3 

 4 

 5 

 6 



27. The 18th to 22 divided, rest 

 entire. 



30. All entire. 



26. All entire. 



28. 13th, 14th and loth divided, rest 



entire. 



25. 4th and last 2 divided rest entire. 



26. 6th and 7th divided, rest entire. 



