1876.] MR. W. FERGUSON ON A NEW ASPIDURA. 819 



5. Description of a New Snake of the Genus Aspidura 

 from Ceylon. By William Ferguson, F.L.S. 



[Eeceived November 28, 1876.] 



Aspidura guentheri, sp. nov. 



The postfrontal enters the orbit, and is in contact with the second 

 and third labials, preorbital well developed and elongate, the post- 

 frontal separating it considerably from the superciliary ; the upper 

 postorbital is much larger than the lower one, and is in contact with 

 the superciliary, occipital, and first temporal ; six upper labials. Two 

 pairs of chin-shields, the anterior large, about thrice as long as broad ; 

 the posterior small, scale-like ; six (seven) lower labials, the four an- 

 terior of which are in contact with the anterior chin-shields. Scales 

 in 1 7 rows, smooth, hexagonal, not elongate, and but very slightly 

 imbricate ; the first row next ventrals broadest, and the next two 

 rows broader than the others, the length not much greater than the 

 breadth. Ventral shields 104-118, subcaudal 18-26. The circum- 

 ference of the body is about one tenth of the total length, the length 

 of the tail one eighth. Snout in front of eyes sharply pointed com- 

 pared with A. brachyorrhos. The anterior frontal extends back 

 between the postfrontals further than the anterior ends of the third 

 labials, whilst in A. brachyorrhos it is obtuse, and does not extend 

 beyond the second labials. Colour, a glossy shining metallic dark 

 olive-brown above, the belly slate-coloured. Three rows of small 

 indistinct darker spots along the back — one row dorsal, and the others 

 on the fourth or fifth row of scales from the ventrals, each darker spot 

 occupying about one scale, and generally whitish spots on some of the 

 other scales near them. Generally a white collar immediately behind 

 the head, often broader below, and sometimes extending in a t \ from the 

 neck along the upper part of the head, covering portions of the 

 occipitals, and separated by a narrow dark line ; often a white spot 

 from upper labials below and behind the eye. These white mark- 

 ings on neck and head are more or less present on all my specimens ; 

 but occasionally they are indistinct above, and absent on the lower 

 part of the head. Total length of the longest specimen seen 6*2 

 inches, the length of tail about 0*7 inch. 



Hah. Ceylon. 



Dr. Gunther having expressed his doubts as to whether two speci- 

 mens of this species sent to him by me in March 1872 were not the 

 young of A. brachyorrhos, and having asked me to reexamine my 

 specimens, I am now in a position to say that A. guentheri cannot 

 possibly be confounded with any of the other three species known. 

 A. copii is a large stout snake, and found hitherto only in the district 

 of Dickoga, at an elevation of about 4000-5000 feet. A. trachy- 

 procta is also an alpine snake, and never found, that I am aware of, 

 except in the mountains of Ceylon. A. guentheri cannot be con- 

 founded with either of these ; and it has scarcely anv specific character 

 in common with A. brachyorrhos, excepting that both have seventeen 



