On 'Three new Snakes from Africa. 93 



XII. — Descriptions of Three new Snakes from Africa. 

 By G. A. BOULENGER, F.R.S. 



Thrasops batesii. 



About 30 small maxillary teeth followed by three large ones. 

 Rostral much broader than deep, visible from above ; inter- 

 nasals nearly as long as the prefrontals; frontal once and a 

 half as long- as broad, longer than its distance from the end 

 of the snout, as long as or a little shorter than the parietals ; 

 loreal longer than deep ; one prge- and three postoculars ; a 

 single temporal; seven or eight upper labials, fourth and 

 fifth or fifth and sixth entering the eye, last as large as the 

 temporal ; five or six lower labials in contact with the 

 anterior chin-shields, which are as long as the posterior. 

 Scales smooth, in 13 rows. Ventrals 163-170 ; anal entire ; 

 subcaudals 101-114. Pale brown or pea-green above, wilh 

 small black spots and larger light spots forming irregular 

 cross-bands ; upper lip white, with the sutures between the 

 shields black; lower parts white in front, brown or olive 

 behind, with scattered small black spots. 



Total length 1800 mm. ; tail 350. 



Described from one adult and two young specimens 

 obtained by Mr. G. L. Bates in South Cameroon (Efulen 

 and Akok, Kribi River district, and Ja River district). 



Hypoptophis, gen. nov. {Colubrid. opisthogl.). 

 Maxillary very short, with four teeth gradually increasing 

 in size and followed, after an interspace, by a pair of large 

 grooved fangs situated below the eye ; anterior mandibular 

 teeth slightly enlarged. Head small, not distinct from neck ; 

 snout much depressed and very prominent ; rostral very 

 large, with obtuse horizontal edge, concave below ; eye very 

 small, with vertically elliptic pupil ; nostril in a semi-divided 

 nasal ; no loreal ; a prseocular in contact with the nasal. 

 Body cylindrical ; scales smooth, without pits, in 15 rows; 

 ventrals rounded. Tail short ; subcaudals single. 



Hypoptophis loilsonii. 

 Upper part of rostral as long as its distance from the 

 frontal ; internasals shorter than the prajfrontals ; frontal as 

 long as broad, rather more than twice as broad as the supra- 

 ocular, which is small ; two postoculars, in contact with the 

 anterior temporal; temporals 1 + 1; seven upper labials, 

 third and fourth entering the eye ; four lower labials in 

 contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are a little 

 longer than the posterior. Ventrals 118 ; anal entire ; 

 subcaudals 36. Uniform blackish brown. 



