634 



A NEW SNAKE PSAMMOPHIS TEITIGEUS FROM 

 BALUCHISTAN. 



BY 



Major P. Wall, i.m.s., c.m.z.s. 



In Volume XX of this Journal (p. 1033), I remarked upon 

 the collection of snakes in the Quetta Museum which had been 

 submitted to me for identification. 



Under the title Psammopliis schohari I showed good reason to 

 suppose that I had included two distinct species. This opinion 

 is confirmed by the receipt of two more specimens from the Hono- 

 rary Secretary, McMahon Museum, Quetta. It does not conform 

 to the description of any other Psammophis in Mr. Boulenger's 

 Catalogue, and I propose to name this new species triticeus on 

 account of its wheaten colour. 



The new species differs from schohari in having (1) fewer 

 subcaudals, (2) three supralabials touching the eye, (3) the scales 

 reducing posteriorly to 13 instead of 11, (4) in its markings, (5) 

 probably its size (though on this point I cannot speak positively), 

 and (6) finally and most important, its dentition. 



I have now seen six specimens, and have been permitted to 

 retain one from which I have obtained a skull preparation. The 

 lengths of the two specimens now before me are 20f", and 24^", 

 the tails, respectively, 5" and 6^". My largest schohari is 46", the 

 tail 16^". 



Description. — Rostral touches 6 shields, the sutures subequaL 

 Internasals — A pair, the suture between them three-fifths, that 

 between the prsefrontal fellows, rather less than the internaso- 

 prgefrontals. Prcefrontals — A pair, the suture between them' 

 one-third greater than the praefronto-frontal, in contact with inter- 

 nasal, postnasal, loreal, prseocular and frontal. Frontal — Touches 

 eight shields, the fronto-supraoculars four or five times the length 

 of the fronto-parietals. Siipraoculars—ljemgth. equal to frontal, 

 breadth two-fifths greater than the middle of frontal. Nasals 

 divided ; the posterior nasal is again divided into two su^jerposed 

 parts, touch the 1st and 2nd labials. Loreal — One, elongate, as 



