18/0.] MR. G. E. DOBSON ON THE MOLOSSI. 701 



the Roebuck (Cervus cupreolus) in Palestine," Professor Newton 

 observed : — 



" I write to make a slight correction of a statement published in 

 the last part of the Society's ' Proceedings ' (P. Z. S. 1876, p. 421). 

 The remains of the Roe-Deer obtained on Mount Carmel were sent 

 to the Museum of the University of Cambridge by the late Mr. C. 

 F. Tyrwhitt-Drake, and not by Dr. Conder (as might be inferred 

 from the Canon's expression) ; while the species was determined by 

 Mr. J. W. Clark and Sir Victor Brooke, not by me. The remains, I 

 may add, consisted of a nearly perfect skeleton and a damaged skin of 

 a buck." 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Description of a new Species of Indian Snake of the 

 Genus PlatyjAectrurus from the Wynad. By Lieut. -Col. 

 Beddome, C.M.Z.S. 



[Received September 2(5, 1876.] 

 Platyplectrurtjs hewstoni, sp. nov. 



Brownish black above, each scale with an elongated white blotch 

 on each side towards its posterior portion ; belly white, with here 

 and there irregular brown blotches ; scales in fifteen rows — abdomi- 

 nals 123 and bifid, subcaudals five pairs (female) ; tail smooth, 

 laterally compressed, ending in a horny smooth scale with a single 

 point ; snout rounded, nasals forming a suture behind the rostral ; 

 supraorbital shield present ; eye small, in a large shield, pupil 

 round ; no postocular ; vertical six-sided ; a large temporal shield 

 between the occipitals and the fourth labial ; no median groove. 



Hub. Manantoddy, in the Wynad, elevation 2700 feet (discovered 

 by Dr. Hewston). 



2. A Monograph of the Group Molossi. 

 By G. E. Dobson, M.A., M.B., F.L.S., &c. 



[Received October 20, 1876.] 



The group Molossi was formed by me for the reception of three 

 genera of Emballonuridse — Molossus, Nyctinomus, and C/teiromeles*, 

 which agree together in the possession of certain well-marked natural 

 characters which at the same time distinguish them from all other 

 genera of this family. These genera, especially Molossus and Nycti- 

 nomus, or sections of them, have received several different names, 



* I omit Mormopferus, Ptrs., formerly included by me (Ann. & Mag. Nat. 

 Hist. ser. 4, vol. xvi. p. 349, 1875) in this group as a distinct genus, as I have 

 lately discovered a species quite intermediate between the single representative 

 of Mormopferus and the species of Nyctinomus. The group Molossi corresponds 

 to Prof. I'eters's family Molossi (Monatsb. Akad. Berl. 1865, p. 258). 



