in the Collection of the British Museum. 427 
We have received from Mr. Salmon several very fine exam- 
of this snake, collected about one hundred miles inland of 
ierra Leone, the largest being 16 inches long. I find, from 
their examination, that this species cannot be separated from 
Lycophidium, the names mentioned having been given to 
young examples in an indifferent state of preservation. There 
are two nasal shields, the nostril being in the anterior; the 
osterior nasal very small. Ventral shields from 164 to 190. 
he black spots or bands vary in number and extent; they 
are larger and more band-like in very young examples. 
Alopecion annuliferum being most probably a Boodon, the 
genus Alopecion may be erased from the system, Bocage’s 
Alopecion variegatum is likewise a Boodon. 
Lycophidium acutirostre. Pl. XTX. figs, DP. 
Snout much depressed, spatulate, with rather sharp edges, 
Body of moderate length; tail short. Eye very small; ros- 
tral shield very low, extending to the upper surface of the 
head; anterior frontals about one-fifth the size of posterior 3 
vertical subtriangular; loreal elongate, large; preorbital in 
contact with the vertical ; eight upper labials, the third, fourth, 
and fifth of which enter the orbit; two postoculars ; temporals 
1+2+3, the anterior in contact with the lower postorbital 
only ; chin-shields small, the anterior not larger than the first 
lower labials. Scales in seventeen rows. Ventrals 140, 146 
(twice), 145. Anal entire; subcaudals 23. 
_ Upper and lower parts deep black; scales on the sides and 
the outer part of the ventral shields finely marbled with bluish. 
Side of the head yellowish, marbled with black; margin of 
the snout nearly uniform yellowish. 
Several specimens, from 8 to 11 inches long, were sent 
by Dr. Kirk from Zanzibar ; two or three were adult females, 
each with four ova in the oviduct. This snake feeds on small 
Scincoids. It is a species very distinct from any of the va- 
rieties of Lycophidium Horstockii, being distinguished by the 
peculiar form of the snout and the constantly much smaller 
number of ventral shields. 
The figures represent the head, of twice the natural size. 
Lycophidium Horstockii (Schleg.). 
The museum of Cape Town is in possession of a specimen 
from Bayana Bay, Madagascar: it represents one of the nu- 
merous varieties of this species, and is uniform dark brown 
above, whitish below, with numerous brown spots. Ventrals 
182. pasta oar 
SOF. 
