123, DASYPELTISs. 355 
Rachiodon abyssinicus, Dum. § Bibr. t. ce. p. 496. 
inornatus, Dum. § Bibr. t. ¢. p. 498. 
Dasypeltis scabra, Giinth. Cat. p. 142 (1858); Peters, Reise n. Mos- 
samb. iii, p. 120 (1882); Boettg. Ber. Senck. Ges. 1887, p. 163, 
& 1888, p. 75. 
—— palmarum, Giinth. 1. c.; Stejneger, Proc. U7, S. Nat. Mus, xvi. 
1894, p. 733. 
mee medici, Biancont, Mem. Ace. Bologna, x. 1859, p. 601, 
pl. xxvi. 
Rachiodon scaber, vars. abissinicus, unicolor, subfasciatus, Jan, 
Elenco, p. 106. 
Dasypeltis scaber, var. mossambica, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1864, 
p- 644, and Reise n. Mossamb,. iii. p. 120. 
scaber, vars. breviceps, abyssinicus, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1864, 
p. 645. 
Rachiodon scaber, var. inornatum, Bocage, Jorn. Sc. Lisb. i. 1867, 
. 227, 
Dasypeltis scaber, var. fasciolata, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1868, p. 451. 
scabra, var. medici, Peters, Revse n. Mossamb. iii. p. 121; 
Mocquard, Mém. Cent. Soc. Philom. 1888, p. 151. 
scabra, var. fasciata, Mocquard, Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) xi. 
1887, p. 81; Boettg. Ber. Senck. Ges. 1888, p. 76. 
scabra, var. palmarum, Bouleng. Zoologist, 1887, p. 179; Boettg. 
eGape ers 
elongata, Mocquard, Mém. Cent. Soc. Philom. 1888, p. 131, 
pl. xii. fig. 2. 
abyssina ?, Stejneger, 1. c. 
Snout short, rounded, very convex; rostral broader than deep, 
just visible from above; internasals a little shorter than the pra- 
frontals ; frontal often more or less distinctly grooved along the 
middle, a little longer than broad, longer than its distance from 
the end of the snout, as long as the parietals or shorter ; one (rarely 
two) pre- and two (rarely one or three) postoculars ; temporals 
243 o0r3+4 (rarely 143); seven (rarely six or eight) upper labials, 
third and fourth (or second and third) entering the eye; a pair of 
large chin-shields, followed by a pair of smaller ones. Scales in 
23 to 27 rows. Ventrals 185-263 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 41-94. 
Pale olive or pale brown above, uniform or with dark brown spots, 
usually disposed in three longitudinal series; a A-shaped dark 
marking on the nape, preceded by one or two on the head; the 
latter may be broken up into spots; upper labials with brown 
vertical bars; belly yellowish, uniform or dotted or spotted with 
brown or blackish. 
Total length 760 millim.; tail 105. 
Africa, as far north as Sennar and Sierra Leone. 
A. Vertebral spots elongate and more or less confluent into a 
zigzag vertebral band; a black stripe along upper surface of 
tail; belly spotted with blackish. 
a-c. Her. ¢ (Se. 25; V. Port Elizabeth. H. A.Spencer, Esq.[P.]. 
189 ; C.66), 9 (Sc. 27; 
V. 204; C. 59), & ye. 
(Se. 26; V 207 ; C.52). 
ZA 2 
