512 VIPERID2. 
2. Third lower labial very large. 
a. First lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the 
symphysial; scales in 19-23 rows. 
Snout very prominent, cuneiform ; rostral 
with sharp horizontal edge; ventrals 
BB7T—-BAS . . oc cie cv pabin bio omenb setae 5. rostrata, p. 514. 
Snout prominent, subeuneiform ; ventrals | 
21-200 oo sees chicane casec se Res 6. bibronit, p. 515. 
Snout rounded; ventrals 251-300 .... 7. aterrima, p. 515. 
b. Symphysial in contact with the chin-shields ; ‘scales in 
31 rows; ventrals 240.... 8. dahomeyensis, p. 516. 
B. Temporals small, 243 or 4; fourth or fifth lower labial 
largest ; ventrals 210-245; subcaudals 26-37. 
1. Seales in 23-25 rows. 
Frontal slightly longer than broad, much 
longer than the parietals .......... 9. micropholis, p. 516. 
Frontal once and two fifths as long as 
broad, as long as the parietals ...... 10. leucomelas, p. 517. 
2. Scales in 29-37 rows ........ 11. microlepidota, p. 517. 
Atractaspis natalensis, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1877, p. 616, pl. —. 
fig. 3, is not included in this Synopsis. I am convinced it is 
identical with Macrelaps microlepidotus, Gthr. (supra, p. 255), and 
should be referred to the synonymy of that species.. 
1. Atractaspis hildebrandtii. * 
Atractaspis hildebrandtii, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1877, p, 616, pl. —. 
fig. 3. 
Snout rounded. Portion of rostral visible from above as long as, 
or a little shorter than, its distance from the frontal ; suture between 
the internasals a little longer than that between the prefrontals ; 
frontal once and a half as long as broad, much longer than its 
distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals; no 
preocular; prefrontal entering the eye; a minute postocular; a 
large temporal, widely separated from the postocular; six upper 
labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fifth very large and 
forming a long suture with the parietal ; first lower labial in contact 
with its fellow behind the symphysial ; four lower labials in contact 
with the anterior chin-shields, which are followed by a second 
shorter pair. Scales‘in 17 rows. Ventrals 167-174; anal divided ; 
subcaudals 22-28 pairs. Uniform dark brown. 
Total length 450 millim, ; tail 53. 
Kast Africa, 
a. 3 (V. 167; C. 28). Mombasa, H. W. Lane, Esq. [C.)]. 
