( 162 ) 



frontals. Nostril between two small nasals indistinctly separated 

 by a suture. Loreal long, entering the orbit, below a small prae- 

 ocular. Two postoculars. 7 upper labials, the third and fourth 

 entering the orbit. Anal entire. The three last maxillary teeth 

 very strong and trenchant. Two obtusely conical white 'promi- 

 nences on the base of the skull not covered by the mucous mem- 

 brane of the mouth. Colour light brown, with two dorsal 

 rows of rounded dark brown spots, confluent anteriorly, and 

 decreasing towg,rds the tail. Sides brown spotted. Below 

 whitish. 



Grows to 12 inches. (Tail 275.) 



Inhabits India (?). (General Hardwicke's collection.) 



A single specimen only is known. The functional office of 

 the curious bony prominences in this and the following genus 

 would seem to be to ensure the fracture, during deglution of any 

 birds eggs the animals may have found. The utility of such an 

 adaptation is undoubted, as Giinther records having found the 

 uninjured eggs of parrots in the stomach of a Dipsas. 



Elachistodon, Reinhardt. 



Scales smooth in 15 rows. Those of the vertebral series 

 enlarged. Nasals two. Pupil round. Loreal enters the orbit, 

 beneath a small prseocular. Gular and cesophageal teeth formed 

 hy the projection through the mucous lining of the oesophagus, of 

 the elongated inferior processes of the hinder cervical vertebrae. 



S. Westermanni, Rein. 



Two postoculars. 7 upper labials, the third and fourth entering 

 the orbit. Anal entire. Colour brown above with a yellowish 

 vertebral stripe. A yellow band from the snout over the head 

 on either side to the temporals and gape. An angular yellowish 

 cross band on the neck. Below yellowish. 



Grows to 31 inches. (Tail 45.) 



Inhabits Rangpur. 



