NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 59 



Coloration. The neck, body and tail are brown above, inferior parts brown 

 with a tinge of olive, presenting a shining and a polished appearance, especially 

 the ventral and sub-caudal scutes; a yellow vitta on each side of the head 

 meeting upon the muzzle, and extending as far as the extremity of the occiput ; 

 a more narrow one extending from the posterior margin of the eye to the angle 

 of the mouth. 



Dimensions. Length of head H lines ; greatest breadth 3^ ; length of neck and 

 body 1 ft.; of tail 1 inch 11 J lines. 



Abdom. scuta 176, a single preanal, 44 snb-bifid-caudal. 



Hahidit. Gaboon country, one specimen presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. 



Gen. Remarks. The serpent above described belongs apparently to the genus 

 Lycophidion of Fitzinger, but does not correspond in all respects with the ad- 

 mirable description of the Eugnathians by Dumeril and Bibron, particularly in 

 the size of the eyes, which they represent as " tres grands", and the form of the 

 abdomen which is described in the species observed by them as flat, in our 

 specimen being much rounded.* In other respects there appears to be a perfect 

 coincidence. But two species are enumerated by them both from South Africa, 

 viz: L. Ilorstockii and L. scmicinctum ; the first is white beneath, the second 

 is brown, but has a series of reddish bands across the back ; both want the 

 lateral yellow vitlae of L. laterale. 



Sub-Order Opistoglyphs, (venenosi.) 



OXYBELIS KlRTLANDII. 



Syn. Leptophis Kirllandii, nob., Proceed. A. N. S. vol. ii. 1844, p. 62. Bryo- 

 phis Kirllandii, Id. Proceed. Acad. N. S. vol. vii. 1854, p. 100 ; Oxijbelis Le- 

 comptei; Dumeril et Bibron, vol. vii. p. 821. These specimens measure 4 ft. 2 

 inches in length, tail 1 ft. 7 inch. 10 lines. I find 19 rows of scales near the 

 middle, 17 upon the neck, 6 near the root of the tail; the nostril is large and 

 ovoid in a single nasal plate; there are two frenal plates in both specimens on 

 each side of the head, the posterior in the one being much larger than the cor- 

 responding ons in the other, the anterior more narrow than the anterior one of 

 the other in the same side ; on the right side in one they are narrow and oblong, 

 in the other the anterior is much smaller than the posterior; one antocular, two 

 post-oculars on the right side, three on the left in one ; in the other three 

 posterior on the right, three on the left; eight superior labials; the eye resting 

 on the fourth and fifth in both specimens; posterior geneials quite long; the 

 scales are long and slender, the inferior row the largest ; the tail at its extremity 

 almost filiform ; the p'ates upon the top of the head, though not corresponding 

 precisely in the cut, have the same general proportions; 170 gastrostega, a 

 double preanal, 166 urostega, 175 in another, urostega 168. 



Gen. Remarks. The description of this " Arboricole opistoglyph" by Dumeril 

 and Bibron is very characteristic of its specific relations, and extremely accurate, 

 but they are in error in stating that it had never before been described, the first 

 account of it having been given by us in the second vol. of the Proceedings of 

 the Academy, 1844, p. 62, a fact for which I am indebted to Prof. Aug. Dumeril 

 himself, but who had not previously seen the animal. 



The collection of Dr. Ford contains a fine specimen of Dipsas Blandingii, Hall., 

 Proceed. Acad. N. S. vol. ii. p. 170, and vol. vii. p. 100. It is, however, not a 

 Dipsas, and we propose for it the generic name Toxicodryas. This remarkable 

 Arboricole serpent measures 5 ft. 7 inch. (Fr.) in length, tail 1 ft. 4 inch. ; 22 

 rows of scales may be counted at the middle of the body exclusive of the large 

 hexagonal dorsal row, 17 rows more posteriorly. The former description char- 



* We had proposed for this serpent the generic name Lissophis, but have not 

 well authenticated specimens of Lycophidion to compare with it ; future observa- 

 tion must determine whether the former or latter name shall be retained. 



1857.] 



