728 AFRICAN REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS — SrE.INEGER. 



rows, the latter only L'5. A huge si)eeimeii (No. 1()754) from Kilima- 

 njaro, collected by J)r. Abbott, has 29 scale rows, 



Jiouleii.uer has recently (Ann. Mas. Genova (L*), xii, 1802, pp. 13-15, 

 and Cat. Snakes Ur. INIns., i, 1S1>3, pp. .'>27-o3(I), reviewed the j^enus and 

 decided that Giinther's B. />i/>rrt'oc»t?rtri.s is only a synonym of i^. Uneatus^ 

 and as he witli his abundant material undoubtedly is in a better i)osi- 

 tion tojud.ue, I have named my si>e«'imens accordinj;iy, in spite of tlie 

 fact that all three have two preoculars. I have for comi)arison only 

 five specimens from Loanda, on the west coast, collected by Mr. Ileli 

 Chatelain (IT. S. National IMuseum Nos. 1G24(); 10240-10251; 20033), and 

 one from Cunga, collected by Brown (No. 1(5075). All of these have oidy 

 one preocular; moreover, in all, except No. 10075, the third supralabial 

 has the upper posterior augie produced backward so as to join the eye 

 l)elow the preocular, while in the one from Kilima-Njaro as well as iu 

 both the Laniu specimens the third supralabial is excluded from the 

 eye (No. 1()075 has it joined on the right side, excluded on the left); 

 linally, in the western specimens there are three longitudinal white 

 stripes on the head, the lower one originating beneath the eye on the 

 fourth and fifth supralabial, while in the eastern ones before me there is 

 no trace of sucli a stri))e. 



The young specimen in every respect (dosely resembles Jan's var. 

 variegata, from Mozambique (Icon. Ophid., livr. 36, pi. ii, fig. 4), which 

 also has the same arrangement of the third supralabial, at least a 

 partly divided preocular, and lacks the subocular white streak. 



I am strougly of the opinion that it may be possible and profitable to 

 recognize the various subspecies of />*. lineatns. In such a case the 

 present form would probably stand as 7>. litieatiis variegatiis (Jan), Giin- 

 ther's B. jrrwocularis being a strict synonym of it. 



Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia (Lai'r.). 

 Jan, Icon. Ophid.. livr. 39, pi. ii, fig. 1. 



Five specimens, from Tana River, by Chanler, two adults (Nos. 20110, 

 20001), two young ones (Nos. 20003, 20004), and one somewhat older 

 (No. 20092). 



The old ones are lighter in color, being of a medium brownish gray 

 above, with the top of head lighter brownish and a blackish cloud on 

 the auricular and i)Ostauricular region, while the young ones are dark 

 brownish slate, ai)proa(-hing blackish, sprinkled with whitish, but with- 

 out any marked difference in the color of the head. 



I have com])ared them with three specimens (No. 20800-'.S) recently 

 received by the Museum from Mr. J. II. Camj), who colle(!ted them at 

 Leopoldville, Congo State, and find them identical. 



PhilothamuuB semivariegatus ( Smith ). 



Three specimens, two (Nos, 2000S and 20105) from the Tana River, 

 by Chanler, the otlier (No. 2012S) from Island Manda by Denhardt. 



