32 Dr. A. Gunther on new Species of Snakes 



band occupies the neck, the head being entirely immaculate. 

 Lower parts whitish. 



One specimen from Loanda, purchased ; the snout has suf- 

 fered considerably by bad preservation. Length without tail 

 (which is mutilated) 24 inches. 



Leptodira rhomhifera. 



Scales smooth, in twenty-five series. Ventrals 1 70 ; anal 

 1/1 ; subcaudals 75. Head rather broad and depressed ; an- 

 terior frontals very small ; anteocular reaching or nearly reach- 

 ing the vertical ; two postoculars. Loreal rather longer than 

 deep. Eight upper labials, the fourth and fifth being below 

 the eye. Temporals 1 + 2. Pupil of the eye vertical. The 

 posterior maxillary tooth long and grooved. Brownish ; trunk 

 with about 26 large subrhombic dark-brown spots edged with 

 black. Yellowish cross bands, brightest on the median line, 

 separate these rhombic spots from one another. Upper part 

 of the head brown, powdered with black. A black stripe with 

 a yellowish margin on each side connects the crown of the 

 head with the first rhombic spot. Abdomen yellowish ; sub- 

 caudals powdered with brown. 



One specimen was obtained on the banks of the Rio Chisoy, 

 near the town of Cubulco, by one of Mr. Salvin's collectors. 

 It is 23 inches long, tail 5 inches. 



Dipsas approximans. 



This snake may be taken at the first glance for a Leptodira^ 

 being in coloration similar to L. annulata and the species 

 allied to it ; but it is more slender than any species of that 

 genus, though less so than a typical Dipsas. 



Scales in nineteen rows, those of the vertebral series di- 

 stinctly the largest, and especially on the hinder part of the 

 body, where they are hexagonal ; they are provided with a 

 pore at the tip. Ventrals 190 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 94. 

 Form of the head and upper shields as in L. annulata. 

 Loreal square ; the single anteocular nearly reaches the ver- 

 tical ; two postoculars. Eight upper labial shields, the third, 

 fourth, and fifth of which enter the orbit. Temporals 1 + 2 + 3. 

 Eye of moderate size, with vertical pupil. Posterior maxil- 

 lary grooved ; of the anterior teeth, only those of the mandible 

 are somewhat elongate. Brownish, with an undulated (zig- 

 zag) dark brown band along the back. Head dark brown, 

 with an obscure streak from the eye towards the angle of the 

 mouth. Lower parts uniform yellowish. Sometimes the 

 ground-colour is so dark that the dorsal band is scarcely 

 visible. A young specimen is whitish with the dorsal band 



