ase. ee ae eee 
9, ATRAOCTASPIs, 515 
five upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fourth largest; 
first lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the symphysial ; 
three lower labials in contact with the chin-shields, third extremely 
large. Scales in 23 rows. Ventrals 227-248; anal entire; sub- 
caudals 19-24, single. Uniform dark brown or blackish. 
Total length 600 millim. ; tail 37. F 
East and Central Africa. 
i % 5 (V. 227, 244; . Zanzibar. Sir J. Kirk [C.]. (Types.) 
a. fg (V. ‘Ne; C. 24). L. Nyassa. Universities Mission. 
6. Atractaspis bibronii. 
Atractaspis bibronii, Smith, Ill. Zool. S. Afr., Rept. pl. lxxi. (1849) ; 
Dum. & Bibr. vii. p. 1804 (1854); Bocage, "Jorn. Se. Lisb. i. 1866, 
p. 227 ; Bocage, Fee. Angola, i. p. 141 (1895). 
—-- inornatus, Smith, l. ¢. 
—— irregularis (non Reinh. ), Giinth,. Cat. p. 239 (1858). 
_—— irregularis, var. bibronii, Boettg. Ber. Senck. Ges. 1887, p. 165. 
Snout prominent, subcuneiform. Portion of rostral visible from 
above as long as or a little shorter than its distance from the 
frontal; suture between the internasals nearly as long as that 
between the prefrontals; frontal as long as broad or slightly longer 
than broad, much longer than its distance from the end of the 
snout, as long as the parietals; one pre- and one postocular; a 
large temporal, wedged in between the fourth and fifth labials; 
five upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fourth largest ; 
first lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the symphysial ; 
three lower labials in contact with the chin-shields, third extremely 
large. Scales in 21-23 rows. Ventrals 221-260; anal entire; 
subcaudals 20--23, all or greater part single. Dark purplish brown ° 
above, yellowish or pale brown beneath. 
Total length 600 millim. ; tail 25. 
Eastern districts of Cape Colony, Natal, Namaqualand, Angola. 
a. é — 21; V.260; Eastern districts of Cape Sir A. Smith [P.]. 
Colony. (One of the i ms) 
b. : Se 21; V.222; Durban, Natal. Col. Bowker [P. 
C. 23). 
ao ses 21; V. 221; S. Africa. 
C. 22). 
7. Atractaspis aterrima. 
Atractaspis bibronii (non Smith), Jan, Rev. § Mag. Zool. 1859, 
p- 511, and Icon. Gén. 43, pl. iti. fig. 2 (1873). 
ne aterrima, Giinth. Ann. rs Mag. NV. HH. (3) xii. 1863, p. 363. 
Snout rounded. Portion of rostral visible from above measuring’ 
one third to one half its distance from the frontal ; suture between 
the internasals as long as or longer than that between the pra- 
frontals; frontal as long as broad, longer than its distance from 
the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; one pre- and one 
2L2 
