62 • [May, 18 44 



L. Kirtlandii. Head long, narrow, covered above with ten plates ; 

 rostral plate heptagonal, flattened above where it joins the two an- 

 terior frontal and the nasal plates ; anterior frontal of moderate 

 size, pentagonal ; posterior frontal large, irregularly quadrilateral; 

 vertical plate long, pentagonal, much broader in front than behind ; 

 supra-orbital plates large, irregularly quadrilateral, smooth convex, 

 above, projecting over the eye so as to give it a threatening appear- 

 ance ; occipital plates pentagonal, broader in front; nasal plates 

 two in number, with the nostril placed between them ; two small 

 plates between the nasal and the anterior orbital plate ; anterior or- 

 bital plate large, a portion of it appearing upon the top of the head, 

 between the supra-orbital and the posterior parietal plates; canthus 

 rostralis very distinct ; frenal region on that portion of the side of 

 the head between the eye and the nostril deeply grooved ; posterior 

 orbital plates three in number; there are ten superior labial plates? 

 the fourth and fifth going to form the inferior margin of the orbit ; 

 eye very large ; tongue long, bifid at the extremity, enclosed in a 

 sheath at its base ; two rows of teeth in the upper jaw ; body very 

 long, slender, covered with oblong, narrow scales, which are 

 smooth ; tail long and tapering to a point. 



Colour. Head of a bronze colour above and upon the sides ; a 

 band of white extends from the snout as far as the posterior angle 

 of the upper jaw ; body of an obscure brownish colour above, 

 clouded with black ; the abdomen presents very much the same 

 dusky colour as the body, except at its anterior part where it ap- 

 proaches to a dirty white. Abdom. scuta — , subcaud. 154. 



Dimensions. 



Inches. Lines' 

 Length of head, ----- 9 



Greatest breadth 3| 



Length of body, 15j (Fr.) 



" " tail, 9 10 



Habitat. Liberia, W. Africa. I have named this species in 

 honour of Dr. Kirtland, of Cincinnati, a distinguished naturalist, 

 who has devoted much attention to the natural history of this 

 country. 



