J'Jl'ipine Snakes from the Conjo. 15 



lov\or siiiTnc'o of \u-.\i\ lirownisli w liite, hdlv and lower surface 

 of fail lilackisli. 



'rofal It'ii-^'tli 4().') mm. ; tail iH). 



A simple youn^ spcciiiu'ii. 



Wi' nri' now ncqiiainted with four pp 'cics of i\\o. p;o?ins 

 Tinuh-ngfriiKiy Dt)ilt), for the determination of which the 

 following key may be used : — 



A. Rostml nearly as doop aa broad; tfiiipnials 1+-; tliroe iippor 



liibiiils in contact with the lower sub. icnhir. 



Scales in 2.J rows Ji. annulata, IJiichh. it Ptrs. 



Scales in 21 rows U. Stonnsi, DoUo. 



B. Rostral much broader than deep; tomporah 2+2 or 2-1-0; two 



lower labials in contact witli the h)\ver siibocular. 



Scales in 2.i rows //. ]h/hoirskii, Morq. 



Scales in 17 rows li. ChriMyi, \^\'^v. 



Elapechis D til ton i. 



Snout very broadly rounded. Eye as long as its distance 

 from the nostril. Rostral broader than deep, tlie portion 

 vif^ihle from above measuring al)out one third its di.stance 

 from the frontal ; internasals a little shorter than the prav 

 frontals; frontal ."ili^^htly longer than broad, as long as its 

 distance from the end of the snout, two thinls the length of 

 the parietals ; posterior nasal in contact with the single pra>- 

 f>cular ; three postoculars ; temporals 1 + )^; seven upper 

 labials, third and fourth entering the eye, sixth largest; four 

 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which 

 are sej)arated from the symj)hy.>^ial ; posterior chin-shields a 

 little longer than the anterior. Scales very oblique, in 1') 

 rows on the l)ody, in 17 on t!ie neck. Ventrals 150 ; anal 

 entire ; subcaudals HI pairs. Pale brownish above, each 

 scale with a black spot ; a large black blotch on the head, 

 det^cendirg as a baron the temj)le, and followed by a whitish 

 occipital tiansvt rse band ; a black bar on the snout, cuii- 

 rcciiiig the no>trils, and a black spot below the eye; upper 

 lip whiti.-li, with the sufui'es between some of the shieMs 

 black J lower parts whitish, the subcaudal shields edgeil with 

 black. 



Total length fj20 mm. : tail 70. 



A single specimen, apparently a male. 



'I'his very distinct sj)ecie3 is move nearly related to IC. niij-'r^ 

 Gthr., from Zanzibar, than to any other. 



