NATURAL SCIENCES OF rniLADELmiA. GO 



15 narrow yellow transverse fasciae, extendinp: a short distance beyond the an- 

 terior half of the trunk ; a series of lateral olive colored triangular markings, 

 28 in number, on each side of the neck and body continuous with the ground 

 color above, aud the apex iuf'erior, the same numlier of ytUow ones inosculating 

 with the latter, aud continuous at their bases with the yellow ground color be- 

 neath ; the transverse fasciae terminating laterally at the apices of these yellow 

 triangular interspaces ; throat, abdomen, and uuder part of tail yellow, with 

 numerous bluish or olive colored spots. 



Dimensions. Length of head one inch ; greatest breadth 7 lines ; length of body 

 1 ft. 4 inch. 3 lines; of tail 8 inch. (Fr.) 



Ilahi.lat. Liberia; one si)ecimen in Mus. Acad, presented by Dr. "William 

 Blanding. 



(len. liemarks. The previous description in vol. ii. of the Proceedings contains 

 a number of absurd typographical errors, — and is in many respects incorrect. 

 This genus is closely allied to Coronella, but differs from it in the shape of the 

 frontal plate which is short and broad in the latter genus, in the form of the 

 internasals which are longer in Hcteronotus, in the pre-frontals which arc not 

 so long, the position of the eye and the. shape of the scales; the tail is much 

 shorter in Coronella, and the teeth not so strongly developed. Heteronotus is 

 another of the many '"emarkable forms recently discovered in Western Africa, 

 which promises to present the most valuable materials to the Zoologist in the 

 determination of the higher problems of science. 



Sub-Ord. 0}nstogli/plis, (venenosi.) 



PsAMMOPHis Phillii'Sii, Dob. Procccd. Acad. N. S. vol. vii. p. 100. 



Coluber rhillipsii, id. Proceed, vol. ii. p. 1G9. The head of this species presents 

 numerous singularly shaped black markings above; the lips, chin and throat, 

 thickly spotted with black ; ground color of chin and throat yellow ; the black 

 points are much more distinct upon the flanks, scarcely visible upon the back; 

 gastrostega marked near their external extremities with a longitudinal black 

 mark or spot ; preanal scale single ; dorsal row of scales differently shaped from 

 the others ; two or three inferior rows of scales, larger than the rest, which, ex- 

 cept the dorsal row, are long, slender and quadrangular as in Dendrophis ; 17 rows; 

 tail mutilated. This species of Psammophis differs from all those described 

 by Dumeril and Bibron. 



Among the serpents not in the collection of Dr. Ford, but from Liberia, and 

 presented several years ago by Dr. Goheen, is a small Psammophis, probably 

 young, with 17 rows of scales, and 102 sub-caudal scutes. The coloration of 

 the head is different from that of the specimen just described. 



Char. Head marked with dark colored irregular lines, simulating Arabic 

 characters, more especially upon the parietals ; a more regular figure, long and 

 quadrangular in shape upon the frontal; color greenish with a double row of 

 black spots at the posterior margin of the abdominal scutes near their external 

 margin; lips black spotted; chin and throat white; ab. scut. 164, 1 single 

 preanal, sub-caud. 102,17 rows of scales. 



Gen. Reinarlis. The shape and arrangement of scales are the same as in Phil- 

 lipsii, thedorsal row differing from the others, being more narrow anterioily ; 

 (probably the young of the preceding species.) 



DiPSAS CARiXATCS. Procecd. Acad. N. S., vol. ii.p. 119. 



This description contains numerous typographical errors ; thus, the vertical 

 plate is put for the rostral, the nostril for tht- eye, &c. The name is pre-occu- 

 pied, having been given to a species of Pareas (Wagier) by Pi of Keinbardt, 

 (Dipsas carinata,) from Java. The teeth in this specimen are all lost, so that 

 it is impossible to say to what genus it really belongs. 



CAIUNATUS. 



Sp. Char, Color light or yellowish above with about 75 transverse narrow 

 1857.] 



