174 OP HID I A. 



tex plate, though a little broader anteriorly. The postfrontals are 

 broader than long, extending somewhat to the sides of the head; they 

 are rounded posteriorly, and truncated anteriorly. The prefrontals, 

 smaller than the postfrontals, are subtriangular, irregularly rounded 

 off, not reaching the nostrils. The rostral has the form of a depressed 

 cone, concave beneath. The nostrils are rather small, situated at the 

 junction of two subquadrangular and subequal nasal plates, the commis- 

 sure of which is occasionally obliterated either above or below these 

 apertures. The loral is quadrangular, and larger than either of the 

 nasals. There are two subquadrangular anteorbitals, the uppermost 

 being broader than the lower one. The postorbitals, likewise two in 

 number, are nearly equal sized, but less regularly angular than the 

 anteorbitals. The temporal shields are scale-like, with the exception 

 of one or two, which are larger, elongated, and plate-like. The upper 

 labials are seven in number ; the third and fourth, narrow and ele- 

 vated, constituting the inferior rim of the orbit ; the fifth is the largest ; 

 the sixth is the next in size, then the fourth, the third, and the second ; 

 the seventh is a little larger than the first, which is the smallest of all. 

 The symphyseal is triangular, moderate sized, and inclosed between 

 the first pair of inferior labials. The latter, being nine in number, 

 diminish in size both forwards and backwards from the fifth, which is 

 the largest of all ; the seventh, eighth, and ninth are rather narrow 

 and elongated, whilst the anterior four are deeper than long. There 

 are two pairs of mental shields, the posterior pair being somewhat 

 smaller than the anterior. 



The body is subcylindrical, thickest upon the middle of its length, 

 diminishing gradually posteriorly and anteriorly, where a somewhat 

 contracted neck separates it from the head. The tail is subconical, 

 posteriorly pointed, rather short, and constituting about the sixth part of 

 the entire length. The scales are smooth, disposed upon nineteen longi- 

 tudinal series; they are subrhomboid, elongated on the upper region, 

 and subtruncated laterally, largest upon the series adjoining the abdo- 

 minal scutellae ; they are smallest upon the nape and on the throat. 

 The abdominal region is of a moderate width. There are one hundred 

 and fifty-one abdominal scutellae, the preanal one being divided, and 

 forty-three pairs of subcaudal scutellae ; the latter being disposed upon 

 a double series. 



The total length of the specimen described is nineteen and a half 

 inches ; the tail measuring three and one-eighth inches. 



