^70 



Eye moderate, larger than its distance from the mouth. 

 Rostral as deep as broad or more broad, visible from above; 

 posterior nasal in contact with or narrowly separated from the 

 praeocular; internasals shorter than the praefrontals; frontal 

 as long as its distance from the rostral or the tip of the snout, 

 as long as or shorter than the parietals; praeocular single or 

 divided; two postoculars; temporals 2 -(- 3, anterior lower wedged 

 in between the fifth and sixth labials; six upper labials, third 

 and fourth entering the eye; three lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields; latter as long as the posterior. 

 Scales in 23 rows, 25 — 30 on the neck; ventrals 230- — 233; 

 anal entire; subcaudals 61 — 78 in two rows. 



Pale brown or blackish-brown above; snout and sides of 

 head lighter or yellowish. Lower surface yellowish, in the young 

 spotted with dark. Length of head and body 830 mm.; 

 tail 240 mm. 



Habitat: New Guinea (Fly river!). — Queensland; N. 

 Australia. 



70. Micropechis Boulenger. 



(BOULENGER, Cat. Sn. Ill p. 346, 1896). 



Head distinct from neck; eye small, pupil round; nostril 

 between two nasals; loreal absent. Maxillary teeth 2 large, 

 grooved fangs, followed by three small solid teeth ; anterior 

 mandibular teeth longest. Body round, covered with smooth 

 scales without pits, in 15 or 17 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail 

 short; subcaudals in two rows. 



Distribution. New Guinea; Solomon Islands. 



A single species. 



I. Micropechis ikaheka (Lesson). 



Coluber ikaheka^ Lesson, Voy. Coquille, Zool. II Rept. 1830, p. 54, pi. V. 

 Micropechis ikaheka^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 347 (s, syn.). 



Eye not quite half so long as its distance from the mouth. 

 Rostral more broad than deep, visible from above ; posterior 

 nasal in contact with the praeocular; internasals shorter than 

 the praefrontals; frontal broader than the supraocular, as long 

 as its distance from the rostral or the tip of the snout, shorter 

 than the parietals; one prae- and two postoculars; temporals 

 2 4- 2, anterior large, the lower wedged in between the fifth 

 and sixth upper labials; six upper labials, third and fourth 



