58 VENOMS 



(a) Boulengerina. 



A small snake 240 millimetres in length, the principal characters 

 of which are as follows : — 



Maxillary bones equal to the palatines in length, with a pair of 

 relatively large poison-fangs, followed by three or four small teeth. 



Head hardly distinct from the neck. Eye small, with round 

 pupil ; nostril between two nasal shields. Body cylindrical ; scales 

 smooth, in 21 rows ; ventrals rounded. Tail moderate ; subcaudal 

 scales in 2 rows. 



The only known species, B. stormsi, is brown, with black 

 transverse bars on the neck ; tail black ; belly white in front, 

 brown behind, with a black border to the scales. 



It is found m the region of Lake Tanganyika. 



(b) Elapechis. 



This genus is characterised by the size of the maxillary bones, 

 which is equal to that of the palatines ; a pair of large poison-fangs 

 followed by two to four small teeth ; head not distinct from the 

 neck ; eye small with round pupil ; nostril between two nasal 

 shields. Body cylindrical; scales oblique, smooth, in 18 or 15 

 rows ; ventrals rounded. Tail very short, subcaudal shields in 2 

 rows. 



Six species are known : — 



(1) E. giientheri. — Scales in 13 rows. Snout short, rounded ; first 

 lower labial shield in contact with its neighbour behind the 

 symphysis. Internasal shorter than the prsefrontals ; length of 

 frontal three-fourths of that of the parietals. 



Coloration whitish or grey above, with black, white-edged cross- 

 bands. Belly dirty white, brownish, or grey. 

 Total length, 520 millimetres ; tail 50. 

 Habitat : Gaboon, Congo, Angola, Central Africa. 



(2) E. niger. — Snout and arrangement of scales as before. 



