56 Dr. A. Giinther on new Species of Snakes 
front teeth of the maxillary, on the left side of the intermaxillary. 
whence I have removed the soft parts. Secondly, our specimen 
does not show any trace of the external anal spur, or of the in- 
ternal rudiments of a posterior extremity. Iam not inclined 
to put any value on the presence or absence of those rudimentary 
limbs; and, considering how closely the British Museum speci- 
men agrees with Mr. Cope’s description, I do not believe that it 
can belong to a distinct species. The presence of intermaxil- 
lary teeth, and the occurrence of rudimentary limbs in certain 
individuals, leave no doubt that this genus ‘is to be placed near 
or with the Pythonide, as has been indicated by Mr. Cope. 
It differs from all the genera of this family by the shields of 
the head, and approaches several genera of Homalopside with 
regard to its physiognomy. 
The locality where our specimen was procured is not known: 
it. was presented together with two specimens of Geophis maculata. 
Silybura brevis. 
Seales in 17 rows, on the neck in 19; ventral shields 122, 
anal bifid, subcaudals 9. Snout obtuse; rostral shield rounded ; 
caudal disk well defined, nearly as long as the tail, each scale 
with two strong keels; the disk terminates in two horny hori- 
zontal points. Body short, the circumference of the anterior 
third of the trunk being contained six times and a half in the 
total length. Upper parts brown; the lower part of the sides 
and the belly yellowish, densely marbled with brown; sides of 
the throat yellowish, immaculate; the lower part of the tail 
black, with a broad white band on each side. Total length 
66 lines; length of the head 8 lines, of the tail 84 lines; cireum- 
ference of the anterior part of the trunk 10 lines. 
One specimen from the collection of Capt. R. H. Beddome, 
made in the Anamallay Hills. 
This species differs from S. ceylonica by its very short body 
and much more obtuse snout. 
Silybura Beddomii. 
Scales in 17 rows, on the neck in 19; ventral shields 178, 
anal bifid, subcaudals 5 to 6. Snout pointed; rostral shield 
conically protruding, its posterior portion compressed into a 
slight ridge, far produced backwards, but separated from the 
frontal shields by the nasals. Caudal disk slightly convex, not 
well defined, nearly as long as the tail, with two or three strong 
keels on each scale; the disk terminates in a broad, horny, bi- 
cuspid, horizontal scale. Body clongate, the circumference of the 
thickest part of the anterior third of the trunk being one-eleventh 
of the total length. Brown ; each ventral shield and each scale 
