VOL. X 

 189:! 



"•] 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



729 



Nos. 20lL*S and 20105 are spotted to the same extent as Peters' 

 figure of liiii rii. 2)K)ictaius (Keise Mossamb., Zool. Amph., pi. xix A, 

 fi^. 2), while No. 20098 has ouly afew black spots on the anterior por- 

 tion of the body. 



Hemirhagerrhis kelleri Boettger. 

 Zool. Auz., XVI, April 24, 1893, p. 129. 



Two Specimens of this species (Nos. 20100, 20112), recently described 

 by Dr. Boettger from Somaliland, were obtained by Mr. Chanler on the 

 Tana Kiver. 



Structnrally both specimens agree closely with Dr. Boettger's descrip- 

 tion, allowing for a reasonable individnal variation (thus Xo. 20100 has 

 2-3 temporals on one side and 2-4 on the other, while No. 20112 has 

 2-3 on both sides; in the former the preorbitals are somewhat sepa- 

 rated from the frontal, while in the latter they barely meet it). In 

 coloration No. 20100 also corresponds well with the Somaliland speci- 

 mens, but No. 20112 differs in this respect considerably inasmuch as 

 the middle of the back is marked with a broad and very dark brown 

 stripe from the head to within a very short distance of the tip of the 

 tail. This band is four scales wide, occupying the median three rows and 

 one halfscale on each side, the color of these halves being darker, almost 

 black. In addition the other marking's above and below are much 

 darker and better detined, the dark vermiculations on top of the head 

 and the outer double line on each side of the gastrosteges being par- 

 ticularly well marked; the two lower whole scale rows in the light 

 space between the median dorsal band and the broad lateral bands are 

 marked with a narrow dusky stripe along the center. The broad 

 median dorsal band is also traceable in the light-colored specimen, 

 especially posteriorly, but it is but slightly darker than the rest of the 

 upper side. 



Hemirhagerrhis hildebrandtii (Peters). 



ISlS.—Ablahes hildehrandtii Peters, Monatsbev. Ak. Wiss. Berlin, 1878, p. 205, 

 pi. ii, lig. 6. — Fischer. .lahrb. Hambiirg. Wiss. Anst., i, 1884, p. 7. 



The present species is so rare and the original description so meager 

 that I think it advisable to furnish a detailed description of the si)eci- 

 meii at hand. 



U. S. National Museum, iVo. 20106; Tana River, East Africa; W. A. 

 Chanler coll. — Nine maxillary teeth, slightly increasing in size back- 

 wards, the posterior tooth grooved. 



