312 Mr. G. A. Boulcngcr on the Genus Pseudoxyrhopus. 



the Coronellincs and next to Lamprophis, wliicli is regarded 

 by Gunther as related to the Lyeodonts, a view which I share ; 

 Guntlier, on the contrary, was inclined to place it " with the 

 larger and more-developed Colubers." But tlie remarkable 

 dentition of the lower jaw does not appear to have been 

 noticed by either author, an omission which accounts also 

 for the fact that other species of the same genus have been 

 described under the generic names of Xenodon (Peters), 

 LiopJiis (Giinther), and Coronella (Boulenger). This man- 

 dibular dentition points to aflSnity with the Lyeodonts, near 

 which I would place Pseudoxyrhopus in the system, with the 

 following definition : — 



Maxillary teeth 16 to 18, the two posterior strongly 

 enlarged and separated from the preceding by an interspace ; 

 anterior mandibular teeth much larger than the posterior and 

 increasing in size to the fifth, sixth, or eighth. Head 

 scarcely distinct from neck; eye small, with round pupil. 

 Body cylindrical ; scales smooth, without pits, in 17 to 25 

 rows. Tail rather short ; subcaudals all or part in two rows. 



A. 



Figiiro sbowinp tlio dentition of: — A. P. microps; B. P. qttinque- 

 liiicatus ; C. P. hnerituc. 



Five species arc known, which difior in the following 

 characters : — 



A. Scales in 25 rows; frontal as broad as 

 long; rostral just visible from above: 

 two labials entering the eye; ventrals 

 207-225 ; subcaudals 45 P. inicnjKi, C.thr. 



