868 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVII. 



oculav. Nasals two, the slitlike nostril meets the dividing suture at an 

 angle to form a 7, and is thus contained wholly in the anterior shield. 

 In contact with the 1st and 2nd snpralabials. Loreal one, as high as 

 broad. Prceoculars one. Postoculars 3 normally (rarely 2 to 5). 

 Temporals — Two anterior, the inferior touching the 7th and 8th snpra- 

 labials. Snpralabials 9. The -4th and 5th touching the eye. Anterior 

 sublinguals smaller than the posterior. Infralahials 7. 5 touch the 

 anterior sublinguals ; the 5th, 6th and 7th touch the posterior. The 

 6th is the largest ; the 7th pentagonal, and in contact with scales 

 behind ; the suture between the 1st is one-third to one-fourth that 

 between the anterior sublinguals. Scales — 2 heads lengths from head 

 19, midbody 19, 2 heads lengths before vent 17. The step where the 

 19 becomes 17 occurs behind the midpoint of the body, and the 4th row 

 from the ventrals disappears, being absorbed into the row above or 

 below. Keels are present en all scales but the lowest 2 to 5 rows 

 anteriorly, and 1 to 2 rows posteriorly, and end after the supracaudals 

 have become four. They are present in all the supracaudals at the base 

 of the tail. Apical facets present in pairs. The last row is the largest, 

 and the vertebral row is not enlarged. Ventrals — Rounded 125 to 150 

 (Boulenger). Anal divided. Subcaudals 70 to 90 (Boulenger), paired. 



Dentition. — In a specimen recently acquired this is as follows ; — 



Right side. — Maxillary 22. Palato-pterygoid 12 + 2G. Mandibular 

 25. 



Left side. — Maxillary 23. Palato-pterygoid 13 + 27. Mandibular 

 24. 



These numbers include, of course, the gaps in the various arrays, 

 which are seldom perfect at any one time. This is the only correct way 

 of numbering the teeth, for as one drops out, its place is soon re-occupied 

 by another from the reserve tracts. These are very interesting. One 

 rims along the base of each row, and contains a very largo number of 

 teeth of various sizes lying loosely attached in the mucous membrane, 

 the largest closest to the teeth they are destined to replace. The 

 maxillary and mandibular tracts lie along the inside of their dental 

 series, but the palato-pterygoid along the outer aspect. 



The teeth are all vertically compressed and convex on two faces, which 

 meet to form ridges, so that in section they are exactly like a deep lens. 

 The ridges lie laterally in all the teeth excepting those situated at the 

 back of the maxillary and mandibular arrays where the teeth are turned 



