1887.] MR. E. SYMONDS ON SOUTH-AFRICAN SNAKES. 487 



The Dutch give them the name of " Cobra Papl ;" others call 

 them " Mole-vreter." I think they are harmless. 



In this specimen a small gland, solid, about the size of a small 

 pea, was found just under the skin at the posterior end of the upper 

 maxilla on both sides. 



A second specimen. — Length 4 feet 10 inches ; from vent to tail 

 12 inches. 



Back dark reddish brown, sides dull salmon-colour, centre of belly 

 slate-blue ; on the sides of the belly-plates a row of dark spots ; the 

 whole skin very glossy during life. 



A third specimen. — Length 4 feet 7 inches ; from vent to tail 

 10 inches. 



Back yellowish brown, very like the colour of sandy ground and 

 difficult to see when the Snake is not moving, from its similarity to 

 the soil ; belly bright yellow with a pinkish tinge, and an irregular 

 black mark down the centre of the belly on the upper edge of the 

 shields ; this begins 3 or 4 inches beyond the neck, becoming more 

 and more marked towards the vent, where it becomes a narrow line 

 on the lower edge of the shields ; beyond the vent it disappears. 



The shields below the vent are double, and each shield has a dark 

 brown line at its lower edge. 



This colour is not common ; the specimen sent was killed close to 

 the river at Kroonstad. 



A fourth specimen, immature. — Length 23 inches ; vent to tail 

 4f inches. 



Back yellowish brown, with black spots forming a zigzag line down 

 the centre of the back ; belly dirty yellow with a reddish tinge. 



Killed whilst going into a house in the town of Kroonstad. 



2. PSAMMOPHIS CRUCIFER. 



Length 26^ inches ; from vent to tail 6 j inches. 



Head long, flat and small. 



Teeth. — Upper jaw with two rows on each side ; lower jaw with 

 one row on each side ; the exterior row on the upper jaw has the 

 last tooth larger than the rest. 



Pupil circular, iris brick-red. Neck slightly narrower than the 

 head. 



Colour. — Back pale olive greenish-brown, with one broad stripe 

 down the back and a narrow stripe on each side chocolate-brown ; 

 belly dirty white, with a few black spots extending from the neck 

 halfway to the tail. 



Habits. — This seems to be a kind of grass-snake and is rather 

 common here ; it eats frogs, but, on the other hand, a specimen 

 18g inches long was found dead in the mouth of a large bull-frog, 

 which much resented being done out of its meal. 



3. PSAMMOPHIS SIBILANS. 



This species and the preceding are known here under the name of 

 Schaaf-sticker (sheep-sticker). 



Length 31 inches ; from vent to tail 8 inches. 



