12 L. G. ANDERSSON, SOME NEW SPECIES OF SNAKES. 



Eight npper labials, fourth and fiffch entering the eye. 7 — 10 

 lower labials, four or five in contact with the anterior cliin- 

 sMelds, which are shorter than the posterior, behind whieh 

 there are two large scales resembling a third pair of chin- 

 shields. Body elongate and compressed. Scales in 17 rows, 

 nnequal in size. The scales of the vertebral row very en- 

 larged, as broad as long, in one specimen very strongly kee- 

 led, in the other slightly keeled or smooth. The scales of 

 the sides narrow, obliqne, and overlapping, smooth except on 

 the posterior part of the body of one of the specimens. In 

 the two outer rows the scales are broader but not longer 

 than on the sides and smooth or very indistinctly keeled 

 except in the mentioned keeled specimen, there all the scales 

 are keeled at least on the posterior parts of the body. Ven- 

 tral shields 170 — 178, angulate laterally, with a faint trace 

 of a keel on the sides in one of the specimens, smooth in the 

 other. Anal divided. Tail long, gradually tapering in a 

 long narrow point. Subcaudals 135 — 145 pairs. 



Upper parts variegated with black and green or blue. 

 The head påle green with black margins on the shields. The 

 scales of the vertebral row black with a blue longitudiual 

 stripe on the middle. The scales on the sides are blue in 

 the centre and black on the margins; the blue colour predo- 

 minating in the outer rows, the black in the inner. On the 

 tail the blue centres of the scales confluent into four narrow 

 stripes on the black groundcolour. Lower parts påle green 

 with a light longitudiual streak on each side of the ventrals. 

 On the tail the inner margins of the subcaudals are more or 

 less black, forming a median black line, which becomes more 

 distinct at the point. On the specimen with the strong 

 keels on the scales the blue colour becomes green when cove- 

 red of the in this specimen very thick epidermis. "When the 

 epidermis is löst, the colour is blue as in the other specimens.^ 



In the museum we find four specimens, all from Came- 

 roon, being received from three different collections. N:o 1978 

 belonged to the above mentioned collection of Messrs. Knut- 

 son and Valdau from Mapanja, N:o 1979 from Bibundi, N:o 

 1980 is received 1886 by mr. Knöppel and N:o 1977 by Dr. 

 JuNGNER, bought in 1892. 



^ Possibly one might presume the epidermis to be löst in the other 

 specimens, but this is not the case, being, however, in those rather thin. 



