392 DR. J. ANDERSON ON PERSIAN, [Mar. S, 



specimens. Sides and under surface of the tail with brown spots, 

 the under surface of the posterior fourth blackish. Under surface 

 of body yellowish, showing in some a faint blackish line down the 

 centre of the chest and belly. 



Hab.. Yarkand. (Five specimens.) 



Oligodontidje. 



SlMOTES RTJSSELLII, Schleg. 



Katmandoo, Nepaul. (Two specimens.) 



C01/UBRID.E. 



Ablabes fuscus, Blyth. 



This has all the characters of this species, but its postfrontal is 

 divided. The anterior pair of chin-shields are twice the size of the 

 posterior pair. 



Katmandoo, Nepaul. 



Fig. 8. 



Cyclophis persicus. 



Cyclophis persictjs, n, s. (Fig. 8.) 



Body slightly compressed, tail moderately long. Head distinct 

 from the neck, rather broad across the occipital region. Eye of 

 moderate size. Rostral broader than high. Anterior frontals 

 rounded in front, broader than long. Ventral rather broad, with 

 its lateral margins nearly parallel, its posterior margins slightly 

 rounded. Occipitals large, divergent posteriorly. Nasal much 

 elongated, abruptly truncated in front, and pointed posteriorly, with 

 the nostril in its middle. One anterior and one posterior ocular, 

 the former extending on to the surface of the head. Seven upper 

 labials, the third and fourth entering the orbit, the seventh and 

 eighth the largest. Temporals 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, the last the longest. 

 Two pairs of chin-shields ; the first pair the largest, oblong, rather 

 broad, and in contact with four labials ; the posterior pair less than 

 half the length of the former. Fifteen rows of smooth rhomboidal 

 scales, with an apical groove. Ventrals 144, slightly keeled, and 

 extending up the sides. Anal bifid. Subcaudals 77. 



Pale olive-brownish, buff above, greenish yellow below. A large 

 black spot on the surface of the head encircling the greater part of 

 the postfrontals and the other shields behind them as far as the 



