lod 
103. ABLABES. 277 
Eye rather larger than in H. lutrix. Rostral broader than long, 
visible from above; suture between the internasals a little longer 
than that between the prefrontals ; frontal once and a half as long 
as broad, longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long 
as the parietals, nearly twice as broad as the supraocular ; nostril 
just anterior to the middle of the nasal; a small loreal, nearly as deep 
as long; one pre- and two postoculars; temporals 142; six or 
seven upper labials, third and fourth or fourth and fifth entering the 
eye; two pairs of chin-shields in contact with each other, the 
anterior in contact with three labials. Scales in 15 rows. Ventrals 
97-110 ; anal entire; subcaudals 25-36. Belly reticulated black 
and whitish. 
Total length 250 millim.; tail 33. 
South-east Africa (Inhambane and Delagoa Bay). 
A. Dark brown above, with irregular lichen-like brownish-white 
variegation, 
a. OV. 110)s C525). Delagoa Bay. S8.-African Museum [P.]. 
B. Olive-brown above, with three series of dark brown spots. 
Os OV 87 3+. 36); Delagoa Bay. S.-African Museum [P.], 
103. ABLABES. 
Coronella, part., Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 50 (1837). 
Herpetodryas, part., Schleg. l. c. p. 173. 
Ablabes, part., Dum. §& Bibr. Erp. Gén. vii. p. 304 (1854 
Cat. Col. Sn. p- 27 (1858), and Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 223 ( 
Cyclophis, part., Giinth. ll. ec. pp. 119, 229. 
Eurypholis, Hallow. Proc. Ac. Philad. 1860, p. 495. 
Liopeltis, part., Cope, Proce. Ac. Philad. 1860, p. 559; Jan, Elenco 
sist. Ofid. p. 81 (1863). 
Homalosoma, part., Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 1862, p. 33. 
Diadophis, part., Jan, t. ¢. 1863, p. 261. 
Cyclophiops, Bouleng. Ann. Mus. Genova, (2) vi. 1888, p. 599. 
Ablabes, Bouleng. Fuun. Ind., Rept. p. 304 (1890). 
); Giinth. 
12864). 
Maxillary teeth small, equal, 15 to 30; mandibular teeth sub- 
equal. Head not or scarcely distinct from neck ; eye rather small 
or moderate, with round pupil; loreal present or absent; nasal 
entire or divided. Body cylindrical, usually slender; scales smooth 
or feebly keeled, without apical pits, in 13 to 17 rows; ventrals not 
angulate laterally. Tail moderate or long; subcaudals in two 
rows. 
South-eastern Asia and Japan. 
