12 PSAMMOPHIS FLAGELLIFORMIS. 



number, the superior one extending upwards on the supra-orbital projection; and 

 immediately behind these are several scales, taking the place of a temporal plate; 

 the anterior orbital are two in number, the lower very small, the upper also small 

 and expanding on the supra-orbital projection; the loral is short and wide; the 

 frontal plates are quadrilateral; the nasal nearly of the same form; the rostral 

 plate is very small, triangular, and rounded in front. 



The nostrils are lateral, large, placed at the junction of two plates, and very 

 near the snout; the eyes are very large, but appear sunken in consequence of the 

 projection of the superior-orbital plate; the pupil is black, the iris dark grey. 



The neck is small, the body very long; the tail is long, attenuated like a whip- 

 chord, which it further resembles in the braided appearance produced by the large 

 scales and their dusky margins. The scales are all destitute of a carina, and in 

 general have two points at the apex; those on the upper part of the neck are 

 quite small; on the fore part of the body they are rhomboidal, narrow, and 

 elongated, and on the tail and lower part of the body they are short, broad and 

 sub-rhomboidal. 



Colour. The superior surface of the head and neck, and nearly one-third of 

 the body, is glossy raven-black, gradually becoming paler on approaching the tail, 

 which is of a very light brown or tawny-colour; the scales on the tail are 

 rendered conspicuous by their dark margins. The inferior surface of the neck and 

 anterior part of the abdomen is bluish slate-colour; the posterior part white, 

 clouded with brown; some parts of the abdomen are white and shining, as well as 

 the inferior surface of the tail. This snake varies however in colour, or rather in 

 shade; Bartram has seen them of a cream-colour, clay-coloured, and sometimes 

 almost white, but always raven-black near the head. 



Dimensions. Length of the head, to the small scales, H inches; of the head 

 and body, 45 inches; of the tail, 16 inches: circumference, 2j inches: total length, 

 5 feet 1 inch. Abdominal plates in the specimen figured, 203, and 109 pairs of 



