162 REPTILES. 



Regne Anim. ; Merr. Tent. p. 157; Gray, Synops. p. 15 ; Dum. 

 &/ Bibr. vii. p. 802. Xiphorhynchus, Wagler, Nat. Syst. der 

 Amph. p. 184. Dryiophis, sp., Schleg. Ess. ii. p. 248. 



1. Langaha nasuta. 



Langaha, Bruguiere, Journ. Phys. xxiv. pi. 2 ; Lacep. Hist. 

 Quadr. Ovip. Serp. ii. pi. 22. f. 1 ; Bonnat. Ophiol. pi. 35. f. 4 ; 

 Schneid. Hist. Amph. i. p. 357 (Amphisbaena langaha) ; Dum. 

 &/ Bibr. vii. p. 803. Langaha nasuta, Shaw, Naturalist's Misc. 

 xxii. t. 968, and Zool. iii. t. 127. Langaha madagascariensis, 

 Latr. Rept. iv. 87- f. 1 ; Daud. Rept. vii. p. 240 ; Cav. Regne 

 Anim. ; Merr. Text. p. 157. Dryiophis langaha, Schleg. Ess. ii. 

 p. 248, and Abbildg. pi. 7- pi. 8. f. 7-9. 



Nasal appendage laminal, not dentated. Reddish brown. 



a. Adult. Madagascar. 



b. Half-grown. Madagascar. From the Paris Museum. 



2. Langaha crista-galli. 



Langaha crista-galli, Dum. fy Bibr. p. 806. pi. 71. 

 Nasal appendage dentated. Madagascar. 



Fam. X. DIPSADID.E. 



Body much compressed, much elongate or moderate ; tail 

 tapering, slender or short ; head short, generally very broad be- 

 hind, triangular, very distinct from neck, sometimes high, qua- 

 drangular or rounded ; eye large, sometimes very large, pupil 

 generally elliptical. Shields of crown truncated; loreal some- 

 times wanting, never more than two anterior and three posterior 

 oculars ; nostril lateral. Scales elongate, generally smooth and 

 those of the vertebral line larger ; subcaudals in some species 

 entire. Generally posterior maxillary teeth grooved, in a few 

 species longer anterior maxillary teeth and grooved posterior 

 ones, in a few all equal, and in some longer anterior palatine 

 teeth : never longer anterior teeth in the upper jaw without 

 grooved ones behind. 



Dipsas, Schlegel, Ess. ii. p. 257. Pareasiens, gg., Leptogna- 

 thiens, gg., Opetiodon, Dipsadiens, Dum. Sp Bibr. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1. Thamnodynastes. Head moderate, not very distinct from 

 neck ; scales of the vertebral line not larger ; scales in 

 seventeen or nineteen rows. South America. 



