322 Dr. A. Gilntlier on the 



nectostem o^ Apolemia uvaria. The filiform bodies {is) of 

 Plocophysa are thought to be liomologous witb nectotasters 

 in A^yolemia and Pterophysa. 



Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A., 

 February 1888. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XVII. 



f. Float. 



A. Hood. 



m. Connexion of the hood with the polyp-sac. 



pt. Polypite (artificially extended; in nature probably even 



more extended). 

 j)t'. Polypite as it appears in alcoholic specimens. 

 s. Gonophores. A large cluster of male and female bells. 

 ta. Tentacle (artificially extended as in nature; in alcohol all 



the tentacles are retracted to the body of the polypite). 

 ts. Taster or hydrocyst. 



[The figures are drawn from an alcoholic specimen.] 



Fig. 1. PlcBophysa Agassizii (lateral view). 

 Fig. 2. The same (viewed from above). 



XXXIX. — Contribution to the Knoivledge of Snakes of 

 Tropical Africa. By Dr. A. GiJNTHER, F.R.S., Keeper 

 of the Zoological Department, British Museum. 



[Plates XVm. & XIX.] 



I. Descriptive Notes. 

 Ehingcalamus, g. n. (Calamariid). 



Body elongate, cylindrical, of uniform thickness through- 

 out ; head small, not distinct from neck, narrow and tapering ; 

 tail rather short, obtuse ; eye very small ; cleft of mouth 

 narrow, with feeble jaws ; scales smooth, in seventeen rows ; 

 subcaudals paired. Rostral shield wedge-shaped ; two pairs 

 of frontals, the posterior replacing a loreal and anteocular ; 

 nasal single, but with a groove below the narrow nostril. 

 IVIaxillary armed with a few comparatively strong teeth, the 

 two hindmost of which are enlarged and grooved. 



Rhinocalamus dimidiatus, sp. n, (PI. XIX. fig. C.) 

 The scutellation of the head of this singular snake consists 



