40 COLUBRID, 
a pair of enlarged, grooved fangs; anterior mandibular teeth 
longest. Head distinct from neck ; eye large, with vertical pupil. 
Body more or less compressed; scales smooth, with apical pits, in 
17 to 25 rows, the scales of the middle row slightly, if at all, 
enlarged ; ventrals obtusely angulate laterally. Tail moderate or 
long ; subcaudals single or paired. Hypapophyses developed 
throughout the vertebral column. 
Madagascar; Comoro Islands. 
Synopsis of the Species. 
J. Scales in 17 or 19 rows; internasals much shorter than the 
prefrontals. 
A, Scales in 17 rows; ventrals 187; subcaudals 67 pairs. 
1. guentheri, p. 40. 
B. Scales in 17 rows; ventrals 228-276. 
Posterior chin-shields a little shorter than 
the anterior, and in contact with each 
other; ventrals 229-248; subcaudals 
107-122, all or greater part in pairs .. 2. granuliceps, p. 41. 
Posterior chin-shields larger than the 
anterior and in contact with each other ; 
ventrals 228; subcaudals 110, greatér 
TG AM PORTO Ks 3 oc 5 2 Senet ely vies oak 3. inornatus, p. 42. 
Posterior chin-shields shorter than the 
anterior and separated by scales; ven- 
trals 255-276; subcaudals 93-116, all , 
or greater part single ............0+ 4, gaimardii, p. 42. 
C. Scales in 19 rows; ventrals 243; subcaudals 126, single. 
5. maculatus, p. 43. 
II, Scales in 21 to 25 rows; internasals nearly as long as, or a 
little longer than, the prefrontals. 
A, Loreal separated from the eye by the preocular; subcaudals 
152-159, single. 
Posterior chin-sbields large and in contact ~ 
with each other; ventrals 225-236 .... 6. arctifasciatus, p. 43. 
Posterior chin-shields very small or absent ; 
subcaudals 251-265 ............004 7. variabilis, p. 43, 
B. Loreal entering the eye; ventrals 226 ; subcaudals 106 pairs. 
8. betsileanus, p. 44. 
1. Stenophis guentheri. (Prax IV. fig. 1.) 
Rostral twice as broad as deep, scarcely visible from above ; 
internasals nearly as long as broad, much shorter than the pre- 
