SNAKES. 165 



2. Leptodeira, Fitzinger. 



Dipsas with a not much compressed or rounded body of mo- 

 derate length ; tail moderate ; head broad, depressed, flat above, 

 distinct from neck ; shields of head regular, one loreal, one an- 

 terior, two posterior oculars ; scales moderate (in nineteen to 

 twenty-three rows), not very imbricate, in not very oblique rows ; 

 those on the vertebral line equal, not larger than those of the 

 other dorsal rows ; subcaudals two-rowed. Pupil subelhptical, 

 erect ; eyes moderate ; nostril between two shields. Hinder 

 maxillary teeth longest, grooved; the anterior ones equal in 

 length. South America; Africa. 



Dipsas, sp., and Heterurus, sp., Dum. Sf Bibr. vii. pp. 1141 & 

 1170. Leptodeu-a et Crotaphopeltis, Fitz. Syst. Rept. p. 27. 

 Dipsas, sp., and Coronella, sp., Schleg. Ess. ii. pp. 294 & 72. 

 Lycodon, sp., Boie, his, 1827, pp. 522 & 527. Natrix, sp., Co- 

 luber, sp., auct. prior. 



1. Leptodeira rufescens. 



Hotamboeia, Seba, i. 33. 6 ; Bonnat. Ophiol. p. 11. Coronella 

 hotamboeia, Laur. Synopsis, p. 85. Coluber hitamboeia, Gm. 

 Syst. Nat. i. p. 1113. Coluber rufescens, Gm. I. c. p. 1094; 

 Baud. Rept. vii. p. 110; Merr. Tent. p. 95. Coluber bicolor. 

 Leach in Bowdich, Ashantee, App. p. 493. Lycodon rufescens, 

 Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 522. Ophis heterurus et O. albocinctus, 

 Duvernoy, Ann. Sc. Nat. 1833, pi. 1 & 2. Coronella rufescens, 

 Schleg. Ess. pi. 2. f. 16, 17- Crotaphopeltis rufescens, Fitz. 

 Syst. Rept. p. 27 ; Smith, III. ofS. Afr. App. p. 18. Heterurus 

 rufescens, Dum. Sf Bibr. p. 1170. 



Anal entire. Scales in nineteen rows. Lead-coloured, some 

 scales white-edged, forming together very narrow, rather irre- 

 gular cross bands ; cheeks and neck black. (Subcaudals in all 

 specimens regularly two-rowed.) 



a. Adult. Cape of Good Hope. Presented by the Earl of Derby. 



b. Adult. Cape of Good Hope. Presented by Dr. Dyce. 



c. Adult : head injured. South Africa. 



d. Half-grown. South Africa. 



e. Adult. West Africa. From Mr. Rich's Collection. 



/. Adult : head injured. West Africa. From Mr. Rich's Col- 

 lection. 



g. Adult. West Africa. From Mr. Eraser's Collection. 



h. Half-grown. Gold Coast. Presented by W. F. Evans, Esq. 



i. Adult. Ashantee. From the Leyden Museum. 



k. Adult. Fantee. Presented by T. E. Bowdich, Esq. (the type 

 of C. bicolor). 



