SNAKES. 31 



may be only accidental in the individual; vertical moderate, 

 rather broad, with an acute angle behind; occi]>itals lonser 

 than superciliary and frontals together, divergent and rounded 

 behind ; one large posterior ocular, rounded behind ; ante- 

 ocular much smaller and not reaching the surface of crown; 

 loreal elongate; two nasals, nostril between, and situated in 

 front of the muzzle ; six upper labials, foremost smallest, 

 third and fourth reaching the orbit, last largest ; one temporal 

 in contact with posterior ocular, two or three smaller ones 

 behind ; first pair of lower labials forming a suture behind the 

 medial one ; two pairs of chin-shields, front pair largest. Scales 

 shining, rhomboidal, rather large, in thirteen rows, perfectly 

 smooth, except those of the five outer rows above the anus 

 {regio ischiadica). The scales only of twenty transverse rows 

 before the anus, and of thirteen of the tail are keeled, and each 

 keel exhibits the peculiarity of being provided with one or two 

 tubercles. Anal and subcaudals bifid. Entirely uniform black, 

 beneath paler. Length of cleft of mouth }" ; length of tail 2-\" ; 

 total length 13". 



4. PsAMMOPHYLAX, Fitzinger. 



Rostral shield produced backwards between the anterior fron- 

 tals, so as often to reach the posterior frontals ; one anterior, 

 two posterior oculars ; one loreal ; two nasals, the nostril be- 

 tween them and the anterior frontal ; vertical narrow ; scales 

 narrow, ovate, moderate, in seventeen or nineteen rows ; anal 

 bifid. Eve moderate, pupil round; body and tail of moderate 

 length ; belly slightly flattened ; head with flat crown, rather 

 high, distinct from neck, pointed in front. Posterior maxillary 

 tooth longest, grooved; anterior teeth in both jaws equal in 

 length. South Africa. 



Psammophylax, Fitz. Syst. Rept. p. 26. Dipsas, sp., Dum. ^• 

 Bibr. vii. p. 1 154. Trimerorhinus, A. Smith, III. of S. Afr. p. . 

 Coronella, sp., Boie, Schlegel, Laurenti. Coelopeltis, sp., Wagl. 

 Coluber, sp., Cerastes, sp., auct. prior. 



1. Psammophylax rhombeatus. 



Psammophylax rhombeatus, Seha, ii. 15. 2. 79. 2. Coluber 

 rhombeatus, hinn. Mus. Ad. Fried, pi. 24. f. 2 (very bad), and 

 Syst. Nat. ed. xii. p. 380 ; Shaw, Gen. Zool. iii. p. 437 ; Latr. 

 Rept. iv. p. 150; Daud. Rept. vii. p. 119; Merr. Tent. p. ill. 

 Cerastes rhombeatus, Coronella tigrina. Coluber elegantissimus, 

 haurenti, Syn. Rept. pp. 82, 87 & 96 ; Daubent. Quadr. Ovip. 



