484 On new Snakes in the Brilish Museum. 



part of the back ; a broad darker brown nuchal collar, nar- 

 rowly interrupted in the middle ; lower parts white. 



Total length 400 mm. ; tail 100. 



A single female specimen, collected by Mr. Willoughby P. 

 Lowe at Erkowit, Red Sea Province of the Soudan, and 

 presented to the British Museum by Mr. Abel Chapman. 



This species, the first African representative of the genus 

 Coutia, is most nearly related to C.fasciala, Jan, from Syria, 

 Persia, and Transcas|)ia. 



Amhlycephalus stanleyi. 



Rostral sliglitly broader than deep, scarcely visible from 

 above ; internasals niucli sliorter than the prsefrontals, latter 

 entering the eye ; frontal hexagonal, once and a lialf as long 

 as broad, longer than its distance from the end of the snout, 

 shorter than the parietals ; loreal longer than deep, entering 

 the eye ; no prseocular ; one postocular and two suboculars, 

 separating the eye from the upper labials ; temporals 2 + 3, 

 seven upper labials, last very long ; first lower labial forming 

 a short suture with its fellow behind the symphysial ; three 

 pairs of large chin-shields, the tii'st longer than broad. Body 

 compressed. Scales in 15 rows, dorsals (5 or 7 rows) feebly 

 keeled. Ventrals 155 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 57. Pale 

 buff above, yellowish white beneath ; a large black blotch on 

 the upper surface of the head, from behind the internasal 

 shields to the nape, where it divides into two longitudinal 

 bands ; more or less regular transverse series of black spots 

 on the body, some forming interrupted cross-bands; a black 

 streak on each side of the head, from the eye to the nuchal 

 band ; lower parts with black dots. 



Total length 440 mm. ; tail 95. 



A single male specimen from N.W. Fokien, C-hina, pre- 

 sented to the British JMuseum by L)r. Arthur Stanley, 

 Curator of the Shanghai Museum. 



AVe are now acquainted with twelve species of Amhly- 

 cepJialus, which may be distinguished by means of the 

 following synopsis: — 



I. A single shield (loreal) between the nasal and the eye. 

 A. One (ir two labials entering the eye ; scales smooth. 



1. Frontal at least as broad as long; symphysial in contact with 

 an azygous chin-shield : ventrals 148-176. 



Six upper labials A. Iceiis, Boie. 



Seven upper labials A. mnlaccanus, Peters. 



