420 Dr. J. Andcvi^oii on the Presence of 



Tlie snakes were caught in the Wadis Nugrus and Sak^t, 

 and the lizards in the latter and in the Wadi Rousbaid. 

 ]Mr. MacAlister says, " the Reptiles apparently live in the 

 cracks in the gneiss." 



Echis coloratus, Giinther. 



Mr. MacAlister captured two females, the measurements &c. 

 of which are recorded in the following table along with those 

 of the type specimen : — 



Echis coloratus, Gthr. 



Midian, Eastern Desert Eastern Desert 



Arabia. of Ej^vpt, of Egypt. 



Snout to vent 660 485' 378 



Tail 80 67 54 



Aentrals 208 188 194 



Anal 1 1 1 



Caudals 46 51 51 



Scales 35 35 35 



The type of E. coloratus^ Giinther, was found by the late 

 Sir Richard Burton * at Jebel Sharr, behind El Mewaylah, 

 in Midian, to the south of tlie entrance to the Gulf of Akabali, 

 at an elevation of 4500 feet above the level of the sea. 



The scales on the upper surface of the head, from the snout 

 to between the eyes, anteriorly, are almost smooth in E. colora- 

 tus, whereas in E. carinatus they are strongly keeled ; but on 

 each scale can be detected a central eminence, the equivalent 

 of the elongated and generally well-developed keel which 

 occurs on the scales further back. There are 13 rows of 

 scales across the head between the eyes, but no defined supra- 

 ocular is present. The number of scales round the eyes varies, 

 as on the right side there are 19, and on the left side only 16. 

 There are four rows of scales between the upper labials and 

 the eyes. Twelve to thirteen upper labials, the numbers 

 varying on the opposite sides of the head. Rostral twice as 

 high as broad, ^tsasal shield vaiiable, not wholly divided on 

 the right side, but comjjletely so on the left, invariably sepa- 

 rated from the rostral by two almost shield-like scales, the 

 outermost lying on the first labial, with the innermost, the 

 larger of the two, placed above it and separated from its fellow 

 of the opposite side by two small scales. 



• ' Gold Mines of Midian,' 1878. 



