230 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 



closely similar is likewise the nearest geographicall}^, Tai'bophis 

 semiannulatus (Smith), being apparently closely allied and found 

 in East, South Central and Southeast Africa. The new form 

 is to be called 



Tarbophis beetzii, sp. nov. 



Type M. C. Z., No. 16,728 from Kolmanskop, Southwest Protectorate, 

 Africa. Collected by Dr. Werner Beetz. Type fresh and in fine preserva- 

 tion. Diagnosis: Similar to T. semiannulatus but differing in having 21 

 rows of scales instead of invariably having 19; in coloration, in having the 

 anal entire and in several other minor features. 



Description: Rostral perpendicular in profile; not visible from above 

 and much wider than high; internasal broader than long, much shorter 

 than the prefrontals ; frontal very slightly longer than broad, a little longer 

 than its distance from tip of snout ; much shorter than the parietals ; nasal 

 divided; loreal almost square; one preocular widely occluded from the 

 frontal, two post-oculars; temporals 2+3; nine upper labials, of which the 

 third, fourth and fifth enter the eye; four lower labials touch the anterior 

 chin shields which are very large; posterior chin shields small and widely 

 separated; scales in 21 rows; ventrals, 218; anal entire; subcaudals 46 pairs. 



Color, sandy buff above and below; the dorsal surface of the nape with 

 a conspicuous crosswise marking, wider on the midline than laterally, also 

 thirty-seven round, dark, middorsal spots on the body and many small 

 flecks on the upper side of the tail. The sides of the body are very faintly 

 clouded with dusky, the belly is immaculate. 



Length of body, 220 mm.; of tail, 31 mm. 



