NINIA. 49 



Genus ]¥I]\IA, Baird & Girard. 



Gen. Char. Head elongated, ovoid, distinct from the body. 

 Cephalic plates normal. Two nasals. A large loral produced into 

 the orbit between the anteorbitals, which are two in number. Two 

 postorbitals. ' Scales all carinated. Subcaudal scutellae bifid. 



Ninia. diadeiuafa., B. & G. — Body above deep chestnut; on the 

 middle of each scale an elongated yellowish spot. A yellow occipital blotch 

 Abdomen yellowish, with a medial brown band. Dorsal scales in 19 rows. 



The vertical plate is hexagonal, as broad anteriorly as long; an- 

 terior angle very obtuse ; posterior angle acute. The occipitals are 

 very much developed, rounded exteriorly and posteriorly, angular 

 anteriorly. The postfrontals are likewise remarkable for their great 

 development ; they are obtusely quadrilateral, being somewhat longer 

 than broad. The prefrontals are proportionally reduced, angular, 

 broader outside. The rostral is broad and well developed. The 

 nostril opens through the middle of the posterior margin of the pre- 

 nasal, and is seen from above; the postnasal is subquadrilateral, 

 higher than long. The loral occupies a large portion of the face ; it 

 is angular in shape, and behind extends to the orbit between the 

 anteorbitals. The lower ante orbital is subtriangular, resting on the 

 4th upper labial, contiguous to the commissure of the 3d ; the upper 

 anteorbital is regularly quadrangular, and visile from above. There 

 are two postorbitals, subquadrangular in shape. The superciliaries 

 are rather small, narrow, and elongated. Anterior temporal shield 

 very large, the rest resembling scales. The eyes are proportionally 

 large and circular. The mouth deeply cleft. Upper labials 6 ; 5th 

 largest. Lower labials 6 ; 4th largest. 



Body subcylindrical, deeper than broad; tail very slender and 

 tapering, about one-thii-d of the total length. The scales are all cari- 

 nated, and constitute 19 rows, the outer row considerably larger, the 

 rest diminishing towards the back. Postabdominal scutcUa appa- 



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