60 [May 



Tex, the anterior concave; the eye is placed in the angle formed by the junction 

 of the preocular, and the supraocular; the latter is a narrow, oblong plate, with 

 a rounded posterior margin ; the anterior frontal is a large plate immediately in 

 contact with the rostral, measuring two lines in its transverse direction in the 

 specimen examined ; its posterior margin is rounded; the frontal is a very small 

 plate compared with the anterior frontal, also with a rounded posterior margin ; 

 it is in contact in front with the anterior frontal, and with the preocular; im- 

 mediately behind it is the inter-parietal which is less extended in the transverse 

 direction than the frontal, and its posterior border is much less convex than that of 

 the former plate, and of the scale behind it; the inter-parietal are placed imme- 

 diately behind the supraocular and the posterior frontal, and are in contact at their 

 internal margin with the fiontal,and externally with the ocular ; the supra labials, 

 four narrow, elongated plates, margin each side of the upper lip; that nearest 

 the angle of the mouth is the longest; the eyes are small, but distinct, placed 

 upon theside of the head near the superior extremity of the preocular; scales upon 

 the chin, neck, and throat small, increasing in size upon the body and tail, where 

 they are of nearly uniform size ; these scales are rounded posteriorly, more ex- 

 tended transversely than in length. There are 28 longitudinal and 309 transverse 

 rows upon the body, and 11 rows upon the tail. 



Coloration. — Above brownish, approaching to black, clouded with yellow; 

 under surface yellow for the most part, presenting a few spots of black, chiefly 

 upon the sides. 



Dimfnsio'is. — Entire length 2 feet 4 lines : length of head 5 lines; greatest 

 breadth 4 lines ; length of tail 5 lijjes ; greatest circumference of body 2 inches, 

 9 lines. 



Habitat. — Liberia, Western Coast of Africa. A specimen in the Museum of 

 the Academy. 



Habits. — Dr. Savage informs me that this animal inhabits the domicils of the 

 I' white ant" ^Termes bellicosus of Smeathman,) which probably constitutes its 

 food, and hence has received ihe name of Ni/onk're-teai, literally the iv Idle ant 

 snake. (See Proceed, for April, 1848, p. 37.) Its tenacity of life is very re- 

 markable. 



Onychocephalus nigro-lineatus. (See Plate, fig. 3.) 



Specijic Characters. — Tail short, of same length as head measured transversely; 

 rostral plate four-sided, longer than broad, rounded posteriorly, the sides slightly 

 convex; nostrils in the fronto nasal suture; body cylindrical, slemler, presenting 

 numerous lines of black upon a ground of silvery grey. 



Deticription. — Head small, depressed, convex in front, rostral plate more ex- 

 tended in the longitudinal direction than transversely, its sides slightly convex, 

 rounded posteriorly ; the under part of the rostral is urceolate in form, having a 

 small projection at its posterior extremity; it is somewhat excavated laterally, 

 passing backward between the nasal plates ; it presents a well defined edge, at 

 the line of demarcation between its superior portion, extending across it ; the 

 nasal are narrow, oblong plates, placed between the frontonasal, and the rostral 

 at its inferior part, in contact above with the fronto-nasal ; the fronto-nasal are 

 situated above between the rostral and the preocular; they are much more nar- 

 row superiorly than at their inferior portion, where they are in contact with 



