92 Dr. A. Gunther on new Species oj Snakes 



oculars; temporals 1 + 2 ; ventrals 154; anal entire; subcau- 

 dals 54. Brownish grey above, with a series of twenty-two 

 equidistant orange-coloured spots along the vertebral line, each 

 as large as two scales, and edged with black ; the first, on the 

 nape, is elongate, band-like ; many scales on the side have an 

 orange or black edge. Head with the markings usual in this 

 genus. Lower parts uniform yellowish. 



This is the only species I know which has only fifteen rows of 

 scales, like some Oligodontes ; however, the teeth on the palate 

 are very distinct, although few in number. The specimen is 

 from Bandjermassing, and is 14 inches long, the tail having a 

 length of 3 inches. 



Megablabes. 



Body rather elongate and slender; head of moderate size, 

 rather depressed, with a flat crown. Two nasals ; one loreal ; 

 two anterior and two posterior oculars. Scales smooth, withou 

 apical groove, elongate on the anterior parts of the trunk, and 

 square posteriorly. Ventrals rounded, about 200 ; anal entire ; 

 subcaudals two-rowed. Eye rather large. The maxillary teeth 

 form a continuous series, and gradually increase in length pos- 

 teriorly, none of them being grooved. 



This genus forms a connecting link between the Coronelline 

 and Colubrine snakes : it might be considered as a gigantic 

 Ablabes with the physiognomy of a Herpetodryas, with the denti- 

 tion of Ptyas, and with an entire anal shield ; and, on the other 

 hand, the unusually small number of scales distinguishes it from 

 all the other true Colubrine genera. 



Megablabes olivaceus. 



Rostral shield much broader than high, obtusely rounded 

 above, just reaching to the upper surface of the head ; anterior 

 frontals nearly square, half as large as the posterior, which are 

 about as broad as long. Vertical much longer than broad, with 

 the lateral edges concave, and the posterior edges short and 

 meeting at an obtuse angle. Superciliaries large, as large as 

 the vertical, with a prominent orbital edge. Occipitals obtusely 

 rounded behind, as long as the vertical and one-half of the 

 posterior frontals. Loreal rather longer than high. The prse- 

 orbital is concave, extending to the upper surface of the head, 

 but not reaching the vertical ; there is a small second prseor- 

 bital below the larger one. Two postoculars; eight upper 

 labials : the first enters the margin of the nasal opening, which 

 is very wide, the fourth and fifth coming into the orbit ; the 

 sixth triangular, the point being directed upwards ; the seventh 

 is the largest, oblong. Temporals 2 + 2, both anterior in con- 



