2 7 



Eye moderate, larger than its distance from the mouth. 

 Rostral as deep as broad or more broad, visible from above; 

 posterior nasal in contact with or narrowly separated from the 

 praeoculaf; internasals shorter than the praefrontals; frontal 

 as long as its distance from the rostral or the tip of the snout, 

 as long as or shorter than the parietals ; praeocular single or 

 divided; two postoculars; temporals 2 + 3, anterior lower wedged 

 in between the fifth and sixth labials; six upper labials, third 

 and fourth entering the eye ; three lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields; latter as long as the posterior. 

 Scales in 23 rows, 25 30 on the neck; ventrals 230 233; 

 anal entire; subcaudals 61 78 in two rows. 



Pale brown or blackish-brown above ; snout and sides of 

 head lighter or yellowish. Lower surface yellowish, in the young 

 spotted with dark. Length of head and body 830 mm.; 

 tail 240 mm. 



Habitat: New Guinea (Fly river!). Queensland; N. 

 Australia. 



70. Micropechis Boulenger. 

 (BOULENGER, Cat. Sn. Ill p. 346, 1896). 



Head distinct from neck; eye small, pupil round; nostril 

 between two nasals; loreal absent. Maxillary teeth 2 large, 

 grooved fangs, followed by three small solid teeth ; anterior 

 mandibular teeth longest. Body round, covered with smooth 

 scales without pits, in 15 or 17 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail 

 short; subcaudals in two rows. 



Distribution. New Guinea; Solomon Islands. 



A single species. 



i. Micropechis ikaheka (Lesson). 



Coluber ikaheka^ Lesson, Voy. Coquille, Zool. II Kept. 1830, p. 54, pi. V. 

 Micropechis ikaheka, Boulenger, Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 347 (s. syn.). 



Eye not quite half so long as its distance from the mouth. 

 Rostral more broad than deep, visible from above; posterior 

 nasal in contact with the praeocular; internasals shorter than 

 the praefrontals; frontal broader than the supraocular, as long 

 as its distance from the rostral or the tip of the snout, shorter 

 than the parietals; one prae- and two postoculars; temporals 

 2 -}- 2, anterior large, the lower wedged in between the fifth 

 and sixth upper labials; six upper labials, third and fourth 



