56 Proceedi7igs of the Royal Physical Society. 



specimen, which is manifestly immature, the band consists of 

 two shields — one small, the other twice its length ; looking 

 from the back of the head, it is seen reaching across the crown 

 to the margin of the right eye. 



Clotho nasicornis was the next specimen noticed. It was 

 stated that this differed so much from those described by 

 Dumeril and Bibron, Shaw, Eeinhardt of Copenhagen, Wagler, 

 and Hallowell, that it was thought to be a new species, but 

 Dr Giinther had informed Dr Duns that it is the species 

 now named. It corresponds with Vij^fercc hexacera of the 

 French erpetologists, Cohcher nasicoimis of Shaw, Vipera nasi- 

 cornis of Eeinhardt, Cerastes nasicornis of Wagler, and 

 Echidna Gaboonica of Hallowell. In all these cases there 

 is considerable difference as regards subordinate marks. That 

 now exhibited differs even more widely from these than they 

 do among themselves. In length it is 1 foot 10 inches ; tail 

 1| inch. The head is comparatively flat; twice as broad 

 behind as at the muzzle ; gape wide ; fangs large, recurved ; 

 eyes round and prominent. In colour the difference is even 

 more marked. A leaf-like mass of light brown covers the 

 muzzle up to the eyes, where it narrows, passes between them, 

 then gradually widens, till it reaches the hind head. Here it 

 narrows again, by a sharp curve, and terminates in a point 

 about an inch down the neck. A row of black circular 

 dots mark the scales on its edge behind the eyes, and at a 

 little distance from the edge at its widest part ; on the hind 

 head an irregular black blotch occurs at each side. From 

 the front of the eyes to the angles of the gape, the edge 

 of the upper lips is dark brown, divided at each side by a 

 narrow band of white passing diagonally from the under part 

 of the eyes to the edge of the lips. A rich dark brown line, 

 like the midrib of a leaf, passes up the centre of the head, 

 from between the prominent nostrils to the termination of the 

 light brown mark on the neck. The dark brown upper labial 

 band is formed of thick quadrangular scales (shields); the 

 light brown covering of the head and part of the neck consists 

 of scales distinctly keeled, convex at the outer edge, and 

 closely imbricated. Those on the under side of the head pre- 

 sent a thickened, rounded appearance; colour, dirty white 



