Dr. A. Giinther on a West- African Genus of Snakes. 225 



across the neck, and a black spot behind the latter on each side of 

 the neck, extending on to the ventral shields ; the lower parts dirty 

 yellowish. 



Ilab. Senegal. 



The typical specimen is in the British Museum. 



Description. — Habit like that of Coronella austriaca ; number 

 and form of the shields of the head normal ; the posterior frontals 

 are rather longer than, and nearly twice as large as, the anterior 

 ones ; vertical five-sided, slender, with the posterior angle acute ; 



occipitals of moderate size, obtusely rounded behind. Nostril be- 

 tween two shields ; loreal square ; anteorbital high, extending on to 

 the vertical ; two posterior oculars in contact with an oblong tem- 

 poral shield ; three other temporals are behind the latter, the upper 

 of which is elongate, forming a suture with the occipital. Eight 

 upper labial shields, the fourth and fifth coming into the orbit. 

 Scales short, rhombic, smooth, in nineteen rows. Ventral shields 

 205 ; anal 1/1 ; caudal 75. The colours have been described in the 

 diagnosis ; the ground-colour changes into lead-grey after the epi- 

 dermis has been rubbed off. The maxillary teeth form one con- 

 tinuous series ; anteriorly small, they gradually become longer and 

 stouter posteriorly ; none of them are grooved. 



inches, lines. 



Length of the head 4 



of the trunk 8 



of the tail 2 3 



Coronella (Meizodon) Dumerilii, n. sp. 



Scales smooth, in nineteen rows ; anal bifid ; three posterior oculars. 

 Eight upper labial shields, the fourth and fifth coming into the orbit. 

 Greyish-brown above, with a darker, white-edged longitudinal band 

 occupying the five medial dorsal series of scales and extending from 

 the neck to the tail, where it gradually disappears ; another rather 

 indistinct whitish line running along the fourth outer series of scales. 

 Belly whitish. 



Hab. Sierra Leone. 



The typical specimen is in the British Museum. 



Description. — Habit like that of Coronella austriaca ; number 

 and form of the shields of the head normal ; the posterior frontals 



